TREASURY

Higher-rate Income Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2001, Official Report, column 195W, which part of Table 3.4, Inland Revenue Statistics gives the yield from the upper rate of income tax which is forecast for the years (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03, (d) 2003–04 and (e) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 16 January 2002
	Available estimates of liabilities from the higher rate of income tax are given in the table.
	
		Higher rate tax
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			 1999–2000 30.0 
			 2000–01(1) 33.3 
			 2001–02(1) 35.0 
			 2002–03(2) 37.0 
			 2003–04(2) 40.7 
		
	
	(1) Provisional
	(2) Projected
	These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the April 2002 Budget.

Housing Market Renewal Fund

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the proposed housing market renewal fund.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 22 April 2002
	We have received a joint representation from the National Housing Federation, Key Cities Housing Group and the Northern Housing Forums, proposing a Housing Market Renewal Fund to address the serious problems experienced by areas affected by low housing demand. We are considering this and other proposals as part of the current Spending Review and our conclusions will be announced in due course.

Motor Fuel Smuggling Duties (Northern Ireland)

Quentin Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers have been employed on motor fuel smuggling duties in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 22 April 2002
	Up to April 2000, 25 Customs and Excise officers were employed to tackle hydrocarbon oils smuggling in Northern Ireland. The number of staff was increased to 118 in September 2000 and since January 2001 it has been further increased to over 160. The Government plan further enhancements to Customs efforts in this area during the course of this year.

Insurance Premium Tax

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue the insurance premium tax has generated since 11 September 2001.

Ruth Kelly: Figures for receipts of insurance premium tax are shown in the Office for National Statistics publication "Financial Statistics".

Insurance Premium Tax

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason there is no financial allowance for those who collect insurance premium tax for the Exchequer.

Ruth Kelly: It has always been a general feature of taxation policy that those who are legally liable to account for tax should bear the cost of carrying out their obligations.

Insurance Premium Tax

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise insurance premium tax.

Ruth Kelly: As will be clear from the Chancellor's Budget statement on 17 April, he has no current plan to raise the level of insurance premium tax.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the functions of his Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Ruth Kelly: Three functions were outsourced in the last five years, as follows:
	The Central Reprographic Unit was outsourced during 2000–01. The money saving is estimated at £70,500, and the percentage saving is estimated at 22 per cent.
	Historic file storage was outsourced in early 2000. An investment appraisal showed that the outsourcing would result in savings using various assumptions about the cost of storage space in the current Treasury accommodation.
	The Goods Inwards and Post Room were outsourced in April 2001. The estimated money saving is £46,400, and the percentage saving is estimated at 15 per cent.

Monterrey Conference

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had at the Financing for Development Conference in Mexico on debt relief with the (a) IMF, (b) World bank and (c) regional development banks.

Paul Boateng: No Treasury Minister attended the Financing for Development conference, where Her Majesty's Government was represented by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development.

Beer and Wine

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of beer and wine personally imported into the UK was imported in quantities exceeding the maximum indicative limit in 2001.

Paul Boateng: Figures for the revenue evaded from cross-channel passenger smuggling of beer and wine in 2001 are contained in the HM Customs and Excise document "Measuring Indirect Tax Fraud" which was published with the November 2001 pre-Budget report and a copy placed in the Library.
	The latest figures for the revenue avoided through cross-border shopping of beer and wine relate to 1999–2000 and are contained in the same document.

Beer and Wine

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of duty pass-on he assumes to retail prices for each increase of 1p in beer duty.

Paul Boateng: Calculation of the expected effects on consumer demand, resulting from changes in duty rates on excise goods, assumes that any change in duty is passed on in full to the consumer.

Beer and Wine

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Treasury Model of the economy shows to be the consequences of changes in the rate of beer duty on (a) the wider economy and (b) net revenues.

Paul Boateng: Estimates of the impact of changes in the rate of beer duty are given in "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" published in November 2001 by HMT, and available in the House of Commons Library.

Beer and Wine

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the impact of each 1p change in UK duty on the volume of smuggled beer.

Paul Boateng: No estimate is available.

Beer and Wine

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the loss of revenue from other taxes on the hospitality industry consequent on each 1p rise in beer duty.

Paul Boateng: No such estimate has been made.

Illegal Meat

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tonnage of illegal meat has been confiscated by UK Customs over the last 10 years.

Paul Boateng: Central records of Customs seizures of meat and meat products are available only from 2000. Records for calendar years 2000 and 2001 show:
	2000: 2.88 metric tonnes seized
	2001: 9.17 metric tonnes seized.
	There were in addition in 2001 136 seizures where the quantity was not recorded by weight.

Climate Change Levy

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised in the first full year of the climate change levy; and how this revenue has been allocated.

Paul Boateng: Climate change levy receipts up to 31 March 2002 are £551 million. However, CCL was introduced on 1 April 2001, and revenue was not received until July 2001. Due to start-up effects, therefore, 2001–02 is not a full year.
	Revenue is recycled to business through a 0.3 percentage point reduction in employers' national insurance contributions. The levy package also includes a targeted programme of support measures for businesses investing in energy-saving technologies and practices. The levy package as a whole is intended to be broadly revenue neutral.

European Union Funds

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK contribution to European Union funds has been for each of the past five years; and how much the UK has received in its rebate in each of those years.

Ruth Kelly: The UK's gross contribution to the EC budget in 2000–01 and 2001–02 was £10.6 billion and £9.2 billion respectively; the UK abatement for these years was £2.2 billion and £4.4 billion respectively. Details of the UK's gross contribution to the EC budget together with the value of the UK abatement for earlier years can be found in Table 14a of the Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments (Cm 5116) published in April 2001.

Premium Bonds

Wayne David: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the (a) amounts and (b) number of premium bond cash prizes in the past three years.

Ruth Kelly: The figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Total number of prizes Total value of prizes (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 6,924,869 447,366,000 
			 2000–01 8,464,046 593,308,400 
			 2001–02 8,674,844 552,367,550 
			 Gross total for 3 years 24,063,759 1,593,041,950

BCCI

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has paid Freshfields Solicitors in each year since 1991 concerning the litigation regarding BCCI.

Ruth Kelly: Nothing in any year.

Financial Services Authority

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what monitoring the Financial Services Authority conducts of the number of providers of financial services and investment business advice in (a) cities, (b) small towns and (c) rural areas in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Scotland.

Ruth Kelly: The FSA does not, as a matter of course, monitor the numbers of providers of financial services and investment business advice in (a) cities, (b) small towns and (c) rural areas. The FSA conducts appropriate risk-based monitoring of all financial services firms authorised by it under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, regardless of where these firms are located.

Professional Body Registration

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms of (a) solicitors and (b) chartered accountants in (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales were registered with their professional bodies for the purposes of conducting investment business under the Financial Services Act 1986 in (A) 1986, (B) 1990, (C) 1995 and (D) 2000.

Ruth Kelly: The number of firms certified by their recognised professional bodies are as follows:
	
		
			  31 March 1990 31 March 1995 31 March 2000 
		
		
			 The Law Society (ie England and Wales) 7,207 7,272 6,591 
			 The Law Society of Scotland 964 800 540 
			 The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales 6,173 4,964 4,780 
			 The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland 536 456 420 
		
	
	Figures for 1986 are not available, as the Act did not come into effect until 1988.

Gibraltar

Nick Palmer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the potential liability arising from the current Gibraltar pension arrangements, should these be found to be incompatible with EC law.

Peter Hain: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 16 April 2000, Official Report, column 453. I wrote to both the chair of the Public Accounts Committee and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on 8 March to inform them that the contingent liability, in the event of a successful challenge in the European Court of Justice against Gibraltar's financial arrangements for those of pensionable age, was now estimated at £77 million. I also reminded the Chief Minister of Gibraltar that this liability would fall to the Government of Gibraltar as HMG have repeatedly warned them. I have today placed copies of both letters in the Library.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Publications

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98, (d) 1998–99, (e) 1999–2000 and (f) 2000–01; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department has no information relating to the years in the question, as DEFRA was created in June 2001.
	Undertaking a retrospective analysis using the resources of the predecessor Departments and policy divisions would incur disproportionate costs and the resulting information could not be regarded as reliable or specific to questions about DEFRA expenditure.

Departmental Publications

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the publications issued by her Department in each of the last four years; and what the (a) circulation, (b) cost and (c) purpose of each was.

Elliot Morley: As DEFRA was created in June 2001, retrospective annual data analysis is not available. Our records show that 491 publications were commissioned and produced by DEFRA at a total cost of £1,038,469.
	Print production records are held by product/job code, not by publication title; to extract and tabulate these by title, would result in a disproportionate cost.
	Circulation figures are between 500 and 180,000 depending on the target audience.
	Postage expenditure for DEFRA, which is additional to production and distribution, was £831,049.
	The purpose of these publications is to raise public awareness and to convey information to specific target audiences and stakeholder groups. They may have Government statutory significance, be an EU directive or provide guidance on one of the diverse range of subjects covered by DEFRA's ministerial responsibilities.

Departmental Name Change

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been to the public purse of re-branding her Department to accommodate its name change following the last General Election.

Elliot Morley: Our records currently show that the cost to the public purse of the re-branding of DEFRA following the last General Election was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Design—conceptual design and graphics 4,200.00 
			 Stationery—print-related expenditure 21,804.00 
			 New name plaques 4,763.00 
			 Miscellaneous—production, installation of signage and photographic charges 2,977.00 
			 Miscellaneous—forms control costs 950.00 
			 Preparation of designs—graphics manufacture and the production of signage with alternative names, which were not chosen 14,798.00 
		
	
	Note:
	All expenditure net of VAT

Carbon Trust Board

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those members of the Carbon Trust board with (a) skills and (b) experience gained from (i) central Government and the devolved Administrations, (ii) local government, (iii) the energy supply industry, (iv) the energy efficiency industry, (v) the non-governmental sector and (vi) other sectors.

Michael Meacher: The Carbon Trust is a company limited by guarantee and appointments to its board are not made by the Government.
	Currently five directors are senior civil servants in national and devolved Government with responsibility for low carbon issues. Two of these also have experience of local government issues.
	Seven other directors have direct experience of delivering energy efficiency, through the development and deployment of energy efficiency products and services and/or the management of energy budgets in private companies. Five of these directors also have energy supply experience, and four are closely involved with Government low carbon energy policy initiatives.
	The remaining five directors work or have experience in the NGO and other sectors. One is environment director of a leading business representation organisation. One was recently a director of a leading investment bank. One is a leading trade union general secretary. One was recently the chief executive of a research council. One is the head of environmental policy of a leading green NGO.
	Biographical details of all the Carbon Trust board members are available on the Carbon Trust website at www.thecarbontrust.co.uk.

Publicity Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the total real terms expenditure of her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity in each of the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole of the present year; and if she will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (A) advertising and (B) press and public relations.

Elliot Morley: As DEFRA was created on the 8 of June 2001 annual retrospective budget expenditure does not exist.
	Our records show centrally funded budget expenditure for publicity activities that included advertising, press and public relations, for the period June 2001 till March 2002 totalled £3,196,519, this excludes expenditure relating to publicity and communications support in dealing with the foot and mouth disease crisis.
	Further analysis, and information not held centrally for non-departmental public bodies, agencies and decentralised DEFRA budget expenditure could only be supplied at a disproportionate cost.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual budget for communications activities, including press, public relations, marketing and internal communications, was for her Department for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2001–02.

Elliot Morley: As DEFRA was created on the 8 June 2001 retrospective annual budget information is not available for the new Department. The budget for the Communications Directorate for DEFRA for 2001–02 was £10,264,900.
	Non-departmental public bodies, agencies and DEFRA directorates, where the expenditure has not been centralised have not been included, as recovering this information would be at a disproportionate cost.

Litigation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have defended in (i) industrial tribunals and (ii) the courts in each year since 1997; how many were concluded in their favour; and what the total cost to his Department of litigation was in each year.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is not available.

Fluoride

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tests have been commissioned by the Government to examine the effects of excess fluoride.

Michael Meacher: So far as the effects on the aquatic environment are concerned, a review of the effect of fluoride on a range of aquatic life was carried out for the Environment Agency as part of the work in drawing up the Proposed Environmental Quality Standard for Fluoride in Water which was published in 2000. The review draws on research carried out by a range of recognized scientific laboratories. A copy has been deposited in the Library of the House.
	As for tests to examine the effects on human health, this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

Waste Disposal Authorities

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of how much financial support (a) Merseyside and (b) other metropolitan waste disposal authorities will receive from central Government over the next financial year.

Michael Meacher: Joint Waste Disposal Authorities (JWDAs) are funded by their constituent Waste Collection Authorities, not central Government.
	However, the Government recently announced plans for the distribution of the £140 million fund for local authority waste minimisation and recycling schemes. Greater Manchester and Merseyside Metropolitan JWDAs may apply for a grant from this fund but the Government have made no estimate of how much either authority might receive, should they choose to apply.

Environmental Protection

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to assess the (a) environmental, (b) economic and (c) economic impacts of exploiting natural resources in environmentally fragile ecosystems; and what account these have taken of research on the circumstances of those areas assessed.

Michael Meacher: In the appraisal of policies it is standard practice within DEFRA to consider the economic, social and environmental impacts of policy options, taking into account all relevant information. This will include the results of research relating to the area being assessed.
	The environmental effects of development proposals are assessed in accordance with the EU Environmental Impacts Assessment Directive, and the Wild Birds and Habitats Directives. Consenting regimes take account of factors shown by environmental assessment by setting conditions to monitor and mitigate possible impacts on these fragile ecosystems. Additionally, in the marine zone we are working through the OSPAR Convention to develop and pilot ecological quality objectives for threatened and fragile ecosystems.

Farm Biodiversity Action Plans

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  since the launch of the farm biodiversity action plan, how many plans have been implemented and how much money has been spent on all plans;
	(2)  what monitoring systems are in place to ensure that the farm biodiversity action plans are properly implemented;
	(3)  of the farm biodiversity action plans implemented, what percentage have fully achieved all objectives within the individual plans.

Michael Meacher: Farm biodiversity action plans are provided commercially by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), and are not implemented or monitored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. DEFRA provides financial and other support to FWAG, but not specifically for farm biodiversity action plans.

Male Fish

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence she has received that male fish in inland waterways are changing gender; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Results of a five-year research programme, funded by NERC, DEFRA, the water industry and the Environment Agency, were published by the agency on 26 March. This followed on from an earlier programme of research, which demonstrated the presence of feminised roach in a number of UK rivers, an apparent relationship between severity of feminisation and proportion of treated sewage effluent in rivers, and implicated natural and synthetic steroids in effluent as the causal agents.
	The results of the second phase of research can be summarised as follows:
	The continued presence of feminised male roach in several UK rivers was confirmed and reported in a second species, the gudgeon, although to a lesser extent.
	In laboratory studies, severely feminised male roach produced fewer and less viable sperm than control fish. Consequently their fertility was reduced.
	The oestrogenic (feminising) components in treated effluents include natural and synthetic steroids and alkylphenol ethoxylates and their degradation products, which may act in combination.
	Natural steroids degrade rapidly in rivers, but synthetic steroids are more persistent. Some may adsorb on to suspended or bed sediments, although levels were below the limit of detection in field studies in two rivers.
	There does not appear to be a problem with feminised male fish in every UK catchment and it does not seem to be an issue in Scotland.
	DEFRA will be discussing these findings with the Environment Agency and the water industry in order to establish any implications for sewage treatment processes.
	DEFRA, together with other Government Departments and agencies and the European chemical industry has also funded a programme of research to investigate whether endocrine disruption is occurring in marine life, including in estuaries, around the UK. This programme will conclude this spring.

Animal Health Bill

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to reintroduce measures contained in the Animal Health Bill; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The recent motion passed in another place has had the effect of suspending further consideration of the Animal Health Bill.
	However, the Government continues to believe that the measures contained in the Bill are necessary and are a proportionate response to the very real threat of a future outbreak of serious animal disease in this country. Were there to be another outbreak of serious animal disease in the near future we would hope to see co-operation from Opposition parties in introducing any necessary emergency powers.

Processing and Marketing Grant

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to decide grants for the year 2002–03 under the Processing and Marketing Scheme.

Elliot Morley: Decisions on awards under the Processing and Marketing Grant are generally made quarterly. In 2002–03, this will be in May, August, November and February. Regional Managers of DEFRA's Rural Development Service, who chair the Regional Appraisal Panels at which grant awards are made, may however hold such Panels more frequently if the number of applications to be considered are sufficient to ensure an appropriate level of competition.

Processing and Marketing Grant

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what EU criteria there are regarding maximum and minimum grants for individual applications under the Processing and Marketing Scheme.

Elliot Morley: Maximum and minimum grants under the Processing and Marketing Grant were approved by the European Commission as part of national rural development programmes.
	The England Rural Development Programme states that:
	The maximum rate of grant will be 30 per cent. of the total eligible cost; There is a minimum total project cost threshold of £70,000. Projects may be of any size above this figure but there is a ceiling on the maximum grant payable of £1.2 million per project.

Processing and Marketing Grant

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) maximum and (b) minimum amounts are payable to individual applicants under the Processing and Marketing Scheme in (i) cash terms and (ii) percentage terms.

Elliot Morley: The maximum cash amount payable to individual applicants under the Processing and Marketing Grant is £1.2 million on a single project.
	The rate of grant under the Processing and Marketing Grant is 30 per cent. of total eligible costs.
	There is a requirement for a minimum total project cost of £70,000. The minimum cash amount payable is dependent on the eligible costs of the project.

Processing and Marketing Grant

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget was for the Processing and Marketing Scheme for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01, (e) 2001–02 and (f) 2002–03; and what the largest individual grant was in each year in (i) cash terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total sum of all grants.

Elliot Morley: The Processing and Marketing Grant was re-introduced as part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) in 2000. The previous scheme was closed in England in 1996.
	A budget for the ERDP Processing and Marketing Grant was first held in 2001–02; this was £4 million. The budget for 2002–03 is £8 million.
	The largest individual grant awarded in 2001 was £314,949.21 which represents 17.12 per cent. of the total sum of all grants approved in 2001.
	The largest individual grant awarded in 2002 (to date) was £596,043 which represents 18.11 per cent. of the total sum of all grants awarded in 2002 (to date).

Parliamentary Questions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the cost was to her Department of answering written parliamentary questions in 2001; and how that cost was calculated;
	(2)  how many staff were involved in each of the last three years in preparing draft answers to written parliamentary questions.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. friend the Leader of the House on 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 929W.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Bills introduced by her Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans she has for the future use of such clauses.

Elliot Morley: None.

Meat Imports

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to change the legislation permitting visitors to the United Kingdom to bring their own meat for personal consumption.

Elliot Morley: UK import rules permit personal imports from third countries of no more than 1 kg of meat for personal consumption. This meat must be heat treated in a hermetically sealed container (e.g. a tin). This is somewhat more restrictive than EU rules. We have raised with the European Commission the need to tighten up EU rules on personal imports and we understand the commission are preparing proposals for further discussion.

Rural Payments Agency

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if computer systems in the Rural Payments agency are capable of handling payments in euros; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Rural Payments agency is operating a system for paying traders in euro where requested. This system covers schemes outlined in a statement by the Minister in 1998, for example export refunds, internal market schemes and intervention. Due to the complexities of the legacy computer systems direct aid payments to farmers are not yet covered.
	The Rural Payments agency (RPA) has included euro capability in the design for its new business system. The needs of the RPA's customers will be central to the development work which we plan on completing by the end of 2004.

Communities

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has for the future assessment of community vibrancy according to parish.

Alun Michael: We announced in the Rural White Paper that we were asking the Countryside agency to bring together, and report on in their State of the Countryside report, a set of headline indicators including one on Community vibrancy, under the theme A Vibrant Countryside. This was to measure "percentage of parishes in four categories (vibrant, active, barely active, sleeping) assessed on numbers of meeting places, voluntary and cultural activities, contested parish elections". The purpose of the indicator is to measure on a national basis the trend over time.
	The indicator which was first reported on in April 2001 in the State of the Countryside report is still under development and we recognise that there are a number of short-comings in the data from which it has been compiled. For instance, the indicator does not reveal the extent to which smaller settlements and parishes are able to take up community activities in neighbouring parishes. Furthermore, communities in all sizes of parish may exhibit community vibrancy in other ways than those assessed through the Rural Services Survey.
	The Countryside agency intends to look at the whole issue again, through consultation on the methodology, rather than amending individual classifications. This will include working with DEFRA and the National Association of Local Councils. The revised approach will be piloted with a number of communities or their representative bodies.
	Differing views over individual classifications is inevitable but the Countryside agency would prefer to address these in a review of the indicator rather than on a case-by-case basis. In particular, the naming convention of the groups may be re-considered to more accurately reflect the underlying information.

Refrigerator Disposal

Richard Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government expect to announce their intentions regarding the reimbursement of the additional expenditure incurred over refrigerator disposal.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 18 April 2002
	An initial statement on funding for local authorities was made on 4 December 2001. The £6 million announced then was to cover costs in 2001–02. A Government announcement on further local authority funding will be made shortly.

Foot and Mouth

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reliability rate of the computer model used during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak to predict the spread of the virus; what percentage of error was expected from the model; if her Department has commissioned a new computer programme for predicting disease spread; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The "Interspread" model was used extensively and on a daily basis in the 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. It proved to be of great value to epidemiologists as an aid to understanding the epidemic and providing advice on control. The simulation proved to be accurate in determining the ultimate size of the epidemic.
	Two other models were developed during the course of the epidemic by research groups at Imperial college and Edinburgh and Cambridge universities. Results from all models were broadly consistent.
	DEFRA is considering what future work it needs to commission into modelling of disease outbreaks and control measures and will be discussing its requirements with the relevant part of the research community next month.

Mari Geni

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe's, answer of 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 130, on the Mari Geni, under which sector of the United Kingdom fleet the Mari Geni was registered; and what was the total amount of (a) tonnage and (b) kilowatts the sector has been reduced by due to the decommissioning of the Mari Geni.

Elliot Morley: The Mari Geni was registered under the "Demersal trawls, seines and nephrops" segment. The vessel had a gross tonnage of 315 and a kilowatt power of 709.

Fish Quotas

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 375, on fish quotas, if she will make a statement on the relationship between the Shetland Island Council and (a) the Shetland Development Trust and (b) the Shetland Leasing and Purchasing Company; and how much money was expended by SLAP for the purchase of fish in the years (i) 1998 (ii) 1999 (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2001.

Elliot Morley: The relationship between the Shetland Island Council, the Shetland Development Trust and Shetland Leasing and Property Ltd. (SLAP) was explained in the Official Journal of the European Communities for 12 February, (Official Journal, 12 February 2002, c. 38–39). As stated in my answer of 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 375, SLAP spent £2 million on quota purchase in 1998: there was no expenditure on quota purchase by SLAP in 1999, 2000 or 2001.

Advisory Panels (Political Affiliation)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the political affiliations are of each member of each existing advisory panel that she appoints.

Elliot Morley: Ministerial appointments to DEFRA's advisory committees, which are non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), fall within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and are covered by the OCPA Code of Practice. Applicants are not required to declare their political affiliation and appointment is on merit.
	For other bodies such as the Rural Affairs Forum for England, we did not request nor are we aware of members' political affiliations.

Departmental Consultations

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations (a) her Department is conducting and (b) have been conducted by her Department since May 2001.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 19 April 2002
	(a) The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is currently conducting 22 consultations. These consultations are listed in reverse chronological order of deadline date:
	
		
			 Consultation Deadline 
		
		
			 Consultation on Stage II Petrol Vapour Recovery 9 July 2002 
			 Review of seed certification in England: draft seeds regulations and registration, licensing and enforcement regulation 8 July 2002 
			 Consultation on draft code of recommendations for the welfare of cattle 28 June 2002 
			 Economic evaluation of the Apple and Pear Research Council 27 June 2002 
			 Consultation on UK Ratification of the 1998 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Heavy Metals 11 June 2002 
			 Consultation on proposed Agricultural Development Scheme 31 May 2002 
			 Consultation on Public Rights of Way: Rules for procedures for Inquiries and Hearings held under The Highways Act 1980, Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 31 May 2002 
			 Consultation on proposals for amendment to the Potato Industry Development Council Order 1997 (as amended) 29 May 2002 
			 Review of agri-environmental schemes in England 27 May 2002 
			 Consultation on Food And Environment Protection Act 1985 (Part II): Charges for Licences to Deposit Materials At Sea and Approval Of Oil Spill Treatment Products 25 May 2002 
			 Consultation on proposals for an EU Directive on environmental liability 24 May 2002 
			 Consultation on flood and coastal defence funding review 17 May 2002 
			 Consultation on Fees for Seed Certification 2002–03 13 May 2002 
			 Consultation on fees for National Listing and Plant Breeders' Rights 13 May 2002 
			 Consultation on developing a draft strategy for antimicrobial resistance in animals (VMD consultation) 7 May 2002 
			 Consultation on detailed rules for determining the mesh size of fishing nets 6 May 2002 
			 Consultation on an Animal Welfare Bill 30 April 2002 
			 Consultation on the environmental impact of growing sugar beet 24 April 2002 
			 Consultation on the Environment Agency's Objectives and Contribution to Sustainable Development 18 April 2002 
			 Consultation on proposals for Regulations on Dedication of Access Land under Section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 15 April 2002 
			 Consultation on the Hills Task Force Report See Papers 
			 Consultation on the Deregulation of Livestock Quotas: Review of Overgrazing Controls in England Suspended 
		
	
	(b) Since May 2001, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has conducted and closed the following 44 consultations, which are listed, also in reverse chronological order:
	
		
			 Consultation Deadline 
		
		
			 Consultation on proposals for Regulations on Dedication of Access Land under Section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 15 April 2002 
			 Consultation on conservation of native freshwater fish stocks—amendments to the Prohibition of Keeping or Release of Live Fish (Specified Species) Order 1998 1 April 2002 
			 Consultation on quinquennial review and better quality services review of the UK Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS) 31 March 2002 
			 Consultation on draft guidance to Local Highway Authorities on the preparation of Rights of Way Improvement Plans 28 March 2002 
			 Consultation on quinquennial review of Horticulture Research International (HRI) 22 March 2002 
			 Consultation on proposals for regulations on the exclusion or restriction of access to open countryside and registered common land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 22 March 2002 
			 Consultation on changes to the EU sheepmeat regime 15 March 2002 
			 Consultation on proposed national ambient noise strategy for England 15 March 2002 
			 Consultation on managing radioactive waste safely 12 March 2002 
			 Amendments to 'The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995' (Wask) 5 March 2002 
			 Consultation on Better Quality Service review of the Egg Marketing Inspectorate 28 February 2002 
			 Consultation outlining two options for reducing nitrate pollution of waters from agriculture in England 28 February 2002 
			 Consultation on Proposals for Regulations on Provisional and Conclusive Maps under Section 11 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 8 February 2002 
			 Quality town and parish councils—consultation 31 January 2002 
			 Consultation on review of Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 31 January 2002 
			 Consultation on guidance to draft codes of practice to minimise noise 31 January 2002 
			 Consultation on Distribution of the £140 million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund 21 January 2002 
			 Consultation European Commission proposals on measures for the control and prevention of zoonoses 5 January 2002 
			 Consultation on flood and coastal defence managed realignment: land purchase, compensation and payment for alternative beneficial land use 31 December 2001 
			 Consultation on guidance on the role of flood and coastal defence in nature conservation in England 31 December 2001 
			 Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000: Consultation on a Deferral of the Relevant Period for Applications of certain A2 and B Installations 19 December 2001 
			 Consultation on Radioactive Substances: Proposed Natural Gas Exemption Order 19 December 2001 
			 Air Quality Strategy: Particles, Benzene, Carbon Monoxide and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 12 December 2001 
			 Milk Quotas: Consultation on new consolidated Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 10 December 2001 
			 Consultation on DEFRA voluntary Code of Practice for the prevention and control of salmonella in broiler flocks on farm 3 December 2001 
			 Consultation on distribution of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund 27 November 2001 
			 Second consultation on Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Scheme Prioritisation System 26 November 2001 
			 Consultation on implementation of Council Directive 1999/22/EC on the keeping of wild animals in zoos 23 November 2001 
			 Consultation on changes to the BSE Offspring Slaughter Regulations 22 November 2001 
			 Consultation on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste in 2002 7 November 2001 
			 Consultation on National Park Authorities and Broads Authority review 2 November 2001 
			 Second Consultation on Implementing the Uncultivated Land and Semi-Natural Areas Provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 31 October 2001 
			 Consultation on waste management controls: proposed amendment to the duty of care 26 October 2001 
			 Consultation on implementation of Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste (second consultation paper) 26 October 2001 
			 Consultation on proposed EC Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings 26 October 2001 
			 Consultation on Implementation of Directive 2001/18/EC on deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment 26 October 2001 
			 Proposals for regulations on Local Access Forums under sections 94 and 95 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 23 October 2001 
			 Consultation on draft Groundwater Protection Code for Fuel Dispensing Facilities Involving Underground Storage Tanks 19 October 2001 
			 Energy Efficiency Commitment—2002–05: Consultation Proposals 12 October 2001 
			 Consultation on draft Regulations on vehicular access over common land, under Section 68 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 1 October 2001 
			 Consultation on DEFRA Aim and Objectives 28 September 2001 
			 Consultation on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Appeals Regulations 23 August 2001 
			 Technical Amendments to the Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994 23 August 2001 
			 Consultation on the proposed reform of the EU sheepmeat regime 20 July 2001 
		
	
	Further information on all of the consultations can be obtained from the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk

State Veterinary Service

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many veterinarian surgeons left the State Veterinary Service in each year since 1990; what the reasons were for their departure; and what employment they left for.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 22 April 2002
	Details of the numbers of veterinary surgeons leaving the State Veterinary Service and the reasons for their departure are set out in the table.
	Information about employment destination is not readily available in all cases and could be identified only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number leaving SVS Reasons for departure 
		
		
			 1990 13 Retirement 3 
			   Resignation 10 
			 1991 21 Retirement 13 
			   Resignation 5 
			   Death in Service 2 
			   Discharged 1 
			 1992 9 Retirement 5 
			   Resignation 3 
			   Death in Service 1 
			 1993 12 Retirement 4 
			   Resignation 6 
			   Death in Service 1 
			   Transfer to OGD 1 
			 1994 11 Retirement 4 
			   Resignation 4 
			   Death in Service 2 
			   Transfer to OGD 1 
			 1995 16 Retirement 10 
			   Resignation 5 
			   Death in Service 1 
			 1996 12 Retirement 8 
			   Resignation 4 
			 1997 8 Retirement 3 
			   Resignation 3 
			   Death in Service 2 
			 1998 13 Retirement 8 
			   Resignation 3 
			   Death in Service 1 
			   Transfer to OGD 1 
			 1999 6 Retirement 3 
			   Resignation 3 
			 2000 14 Retirement 4 
			   Resignation 9 
			   Transfer to OGD 1 
			 2001 11 Retirement 6 
			   Resignation 4 
			   Death in Service 1 
			 2002(3) 6 Retirement 3 
			   Resignation 3 
		
	
	(3) To date

Departmental Employment Practice

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 271W, on gender-based assessments, if she will publish the assessment reports relating to her Department's gender, ethnic, disability and full time/part time categories completed since June 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 April 2002
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created on 9 June 2001. The new Department brings together staff previously employed in parts of both DETR and the Home Office with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Robust data on staff in post in DEFRA were not available until recently. An assessment was undertaken on 15 March 2002 and the resulting data are included in the table. This position reflects the staff profile for permanent staff in the core-Department on that date.
	
		
			  Total 
		
		
			 Men  
			 Number 3,701 
			 Percentage 52 
			   
			 Women  
			 Number 3,483 
			 Percentage 48 
			   
			 Part time  
			 Number 703 
			 Percentage 10 
			   
			 Ethnic minority(4)  
			 Number 384 
			 Percentage 5 
			   
			 Disabled  
			 Number 406 
			 Percentage 6 
		
	
	(4) Due to current ethnic re-survey, ethnicity data are incomplete and should therefore be interpreted with care. The figures in the table are based on a 70 per cent. response rate. Estimated overall margin of error for staff in post currently = ±1.5 per cent. Data exclude casual staff.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to ensure that secondary treatment is provided for all sewage discharges from towns with a population of at least 15,000 by 31 March will be met.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	As at 31 March 2002, 536 (99 per cent.) of waste water treatment plants in England serving communities greater than 15,000 population (or its equivalent) met this target. We will continue to monitor that secondary treatment for the few remaining discharges is provided as soon as practicable.

Rio Earth Summit (Implementation)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to (a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to minerals and metal issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have been working with others within the EU to set emissions standards which will protect the environment but also strike an appropriate balance with the economic and social aspects of sustainable development.
	More specifically, as they are dominated by multi- nationals, we have been actively encouraging the minerals and metals industries to work globally to establish their sustainable development credentials. Work on indicators to measure performance are being developed.

Forests

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken at international level to increase forest protection and improve forest management; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has a long record of contributing to the shaping of international forest policy. This takes place at the level of expert working groups, as well as intergovernmental negotiations such as: the United Nations Forum on Forests; the Convention on Biological Diversity; and the G8 Action Programme on Forests. All of these processes seek to improve the management and protection of forests.
	The UK leads on tackling illegal logging within the G8. We have made progress domestically, with the introduction of the Government's new timber procurement policy, and internationally, through collaborative work with a number of key timber exporting countries. The Memorandum of Understanding singed between Indonesia and UK on 18 April is the first of its kind and signals a real determination to deal with this problem.
	DFID's bilateral programmes and DEFRA's Darwin Initiative provide support to forest management and protection in many developing countries.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Entertainment Costs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by Ministers in his Department on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for official entertainment purposes in each of the last five years.

John Reid: As the information you have requested is not held centrally, an answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Entertainment Costs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by departmental special advisers on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for entertainment purposes in each of the last five years.

John Reid: As the information you have requested is not held centrally, an answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

John Reid: Over the past five years two Bills introduced by my Department contained sunset clauses: the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 and the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning (Amendment) Act 2002. Each contains a provision limiting the maximum duration of the amnesty period under a decommissioning scheme.
	I shall continue to use such clauses where it is appropriate to do so.

Better Quality Services Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed.

John Reid: The Northern Ireland Office's executive services are delivered by the Department's three agencies—the NI Prison Service, Compensation Agency and Forensic Science Northern Ireland. The requirements of the Better Quality Services Initiative were addressed in the terms of reference of recent quinquennial reviews of each of the agencies. No definite timetable has yet been determined for the other, mainly policy, functions of the Department, which will be considered as appropriate as the extent of the NIO's future role becomes clearer.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

John Reid: Electronic access control systems, many of which operate by smart cards, are extensively used in all premises occupied by my Department. Suppliers in the private sector are consulted as necessary.

SCOTLAND

Foot and Mouth

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the recovery of Scotland's rural economy from last year's outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

George Foulkes: 2002 will continue to present challenges but I am confident that the FMD recovery measures implemented by the Scottish Executive and the sympathetic approach of the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise will help the rural economy in Scotland withstand the effects of the outbreak.

Child Poverty

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to combat child poverty in Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

George Foulkes: We are making good progress in tackling child poverty although we acknowledge that much still needs to be done. Full details of the measures taken, and the results achieved, can be found in the Government's annual report on tackling poverty. "Opportunity for All" and the Scottish Executive's annual Social Justice report, "A Scotland where everyone matters".
	Tackling child poverty in Scotland requires action from both Government and the Scottish Executive. The "Opportunity for All" report highlights five headline indicators of child poverty: low income, worklessness, health inequalities, educational attainment and housing. Health, education and housing are devolved matters for the Executive. The Government have taken direct action in the areas it is responsible for. On income, for example, the working families tax credit benefits over 119,000 families in Scotland. And we are currently reforming the tax credits system, to improve it further. On worklessness, we have, for example, invested in the new deal: the new deal for lone parents has helped around 14,500 people into employment.
	The Government have taken a number of other measures which help reduce child poverty including the national minimum wage; action on personal indebtedness and family-friendly employment measures to help people stay in work and meet family commitments. Tackling child poverty is, and will remain, one of our top priorities.

Train Drivers (Strikes)

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps she has taken to represent Scottish interests to the DTLR on the current strikes by train drivers.

Helen Liddell: I have regular discussions with DTLR Ministers on a wide range of matters.

Scotland Act

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to introduce proposals to amend the Scotland Act 1998.

Helen Liddell: I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 14 March, Official Report, column 1205W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

St. Helena

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has for the construction of an airport runway on St. Helena; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 21 March, Official Report, column 472W. Further discussions are expected to take place over the coming months.

Angola

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid her Department plans to make available to Angola in the next five years.

Hilary Benn: We are planning to spend some £4 million on humanitarian support and urban poverty reduction in Angola in the current financial year. Spending plans for subsequent years are not yet firm, but are likely to amount to at least as much as the current figure.
	Following my right hon. Friend's visit to Angola earlier this month and the positive recent developments in the Angolan peace process we are also examining the potential for a specific DFID contribution to assist in building Government capacity in support of envisaged programmes with the IMF and World bank, particularly in the area of the demobilisation of fighters and transparent financial management.

Millennium Declaration

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the timetable is for implementation of the Millennium Declaration; what steps have been taken to set interim targets for 2005 and 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Millennium Development Goals have a deadline of 2015 in most cases. (Eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education has a 2005 deadline and improving the lives of slum dwellers is a 2020 target.) Individual developing countries are being encouraged to set and monitor country-relevant interim targets within their poverty reduction strategies. DFID's PSAs/SDAs set targets based on the MDGs for the period up to 2006. Analysis of progress towards these targets is set out in DFID's Departmental Report 2002, which will be published on 24 April. Plans for the implementation of the Millennium Declaration are set out in the UN Secretary General's report "Road map towards the implementation of the UN Millennium Declaration". The UN will report annually on global progress and indicate whether we are on track to meet the goals. As well as setting development targets, the Millennium Declaration renews the commitment of member states to the fundamental principles of the UN, including freedom, equality, tolerance, human rights, peace and security and respect for the environment; and emphasises the needs of Africa and the need to strengthen the UN.

Cheap Drugs

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with drug companies to ensure that their products are made available to third world countries cheaply.

Hilary Benn: The Working Group on Access to Medicines, which I chair, brings together UK Government, the pharmaceuticals industry and others to look at options for bringing about widespread, sustainable and predictable differential pricing of medicines at reduced prices for the poor in third world countries. The Group has met twice and made good progress in identifying the best ways to address under-investment in research and development for diseases affecting the poor. The third meeting will discuss donations, pricing and affordability issues. The Group is scheduled to complete its work and report back to the Prime Minister in July.
	In addition we have committed over £1 billion since 1997 to strengthening developing countries' health systems, building their capacity both to deliver medicines to the poor and to make effective choices about the selection and use of drugs.

Zimbabwe

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid was given by her Department to Zimbabwe in the last year for which figures are available.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development provided assistance worth £16 million for Zimbabwe in 2001–02, focused on humanitarian relief including HIV/AIDS programmes.

Israel

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian situation within Palestinian refugee camps; what assistance her Department provides to the refugee camps; and if she intends to increase aid to the refugee camps.

Hilary Benn: pursuant to Clare Short's reply, 15 April 2002, column 730W
	I apologise for the error contained in my right hon. Friend's reply. The answer should read:
	We have steadily increased our financial and technical support to UNRWA, from £6 million in 1997 to £25 million in 2001 in response to the rising needs.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

National Stadium

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the £20 million investment into Wembley National Stadium in addition to the £120 million Lottery grant, will be exclusively to fund transport and infrastructure improvement in the Brent area with no other Treasury moneys being made available to this project.

Tessa Jowell: Subject to the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Limited meeting the conditions I set out to the House on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 291–93, it is the Government's intention to make up to £20 million available for non-stadium infrastructure improvements. The current intention is that the Government's grant would repay funds spent by WNSL arising from its agreement with the London borough of Brent pursuant to section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to contribute towards a number of specified infrastructure projects in the Brent area including improvements to stations, roads and public amenities in the area.
	The London Development Agency (LDA) has decided to commit up to £21 million to the National Stadium project subject to certain conditions. Any LDA funding will be subject to Treasury approval and will be conditional on the Football Association and WNSL meeting the Government's conditions which I set out on 19 December.
	In addition, I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the announcement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions made in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North on 12 March 2002, and which appeared on 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 238W that a further £7 million would be made available from his transport provision for improvements to Wembley Park Underground station and that the Mayor of London had also agreed to make available a similar sum.

National Stadium

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the replacement of the directors of the Wembley Board.

Tessa Jowell: The Football Association announced on 11 April a new board of Wembley National Stadium Ltd. The FA wished to move from a 'representative' board of 12 to a smaller board of seven which contained the core skills of construction/capital project management; finance and marketing. My officials continue to co-operate closely with the FA and Sport England as the FA and WNSL work to address the issues I set out to the House on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 291–93.

ITV Digital

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Independent Television Commission concerning ITV Digital's entry into administration.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Independent Television Commission concerning ITV Digital's entry into administration.

Kim Howells: The Independent Television Commission has kept me closely informed about the regulatory implications of ITV Digital's decision to place the company into administration.

ITV Digital

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of ITV Digital's collapse on plans for digital television take-up in the UK.

Kim Howells: Section 33 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 places a duty on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to keep under review the development of digital television, the availability of existing analogue services in digital form and the possession of digital receiving equipment, in order to decide when analogue services might be switched off. This review is being carried out and the results will be published in due course. The review will of course take account of the eventual outcome of the current administration of ITV Digital.

Sports Action Zone

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Sports Action Zone money has been spent in the Workington constituency since the initiation of the scheme; and on what projects.

Richard Caborn: The Needs Assessment and Action Plan for the West Cumbria and Barrow Sport Action Zone identifies a range of projects which are priorities for the zone. The following relate specifically to the Workington constituency:
	
		
			Funding (£)  
			  Project  Location  Partners Total project cost SAZ funding 
		
		
			 Commonwealth Games Co-ordinator to raise awareness of the Games and deliver a local programme in line with the Games Allerdale Allerdale borough council, NW Economic and Social SRB, Learning and Skills Council 50,000 15,000 
			  
			 Sports Co-ordinator to develop a sustainable sporting infrastructure Allerdale, particularly Salterbeck, Harrington, Moorclose and Westfield wards Impact Housing Association, Salterbeck Sports Association, Allerdale borough council, Youth Sport Trust, Women's Sport Foundation, West Lakes college, Age Concern 112,000 54,000 
			  
			 Young people in speedway Allerdale—priority Northside Groundwork West Cumbria, Allerdale borough council, Cumbria Waste Management, Workington SRB, Workington town council, Auto Cycle Union, St. John's Ambulance, Cumbria constabulary 18,766 1,500 
			  
			 Sport for Health Manager Allerdale—including Oval Centre in Salterbeck, Copeland Steering Group consisting of: West Cumbria CVS, Sport Action Zone, Health Action Zone, Primary Care Trust (5)70,000 (6)30,000 
			  
			 Directory of sport and physical activity in West Cumbria Allerdale, Copeland West Cumbria CVS 19,700 8,500 
			  
			 Development of Adult Other than teacher (AOTT) programme Allerdale—including Harrington and Ashfield schools in Workington, Barrow, Copeland Cumbria Sport 24,800 7,500 
			  
			 Community Chest for funding smaller projects particularly in rural areas Allerdale, Barrow, Copeland Allerdale borough council — 7,000 
		
	
	(5) For two years.
	(6) For two years with commitment of £45,000 for further three years.

Film Council

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the films funded by the Film Council for which (a) members of staff and (b) members of the board of the Council have received an on-screen credit, stating for each (i) the nature of and (ii) the reason for the credit.

Kim Howells: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The following table details the films funded by the Film Council (since 1 April 2000) for which members of staff have received an on-screen credit. It is normal practice in the film industry to provide on-screen credits which reflect the work undertaken by the various partners.
	No member of the board has received an on-screen credit through their membership of the board of the Film Council. However, some Film Council board members are employed by, or are directors of, the three lottery film franchise companies—DNA, the Film Consortium and Pathe Pictures Ltd. They may be credited by virtue of that role on relevant franchise films. Those titles have not been listed in the following table.
	
		
			 Film title Reason for the credit 
		
		
			 Gosford Park Executive Producer for the Film Council's Premiere Fund 
			  Business Affairs 
			  Production Finance 
			  Production Executives 
			 Mike Bassett: England Manager Executive Producer 
			  Production Executives for the Premiere Fund 
			  Business Affairs 
			  Production Supervisor 
			 Bloody Sunday Executive Producer 
			  Legals Film Council for the Film Council

Digital Television

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of (a) the number and (b) the percentage of households in the United Kingdom that (i) receive and (ii) can receive digital television by (A) digital terrestrial, (B) digital satellite, (C) digital cable and (D) other means.

Kim Howells: The information available is as follows:
	(A) Digital television take up
	(i) 5.7 million subscribers to Sky Digital.
	0.7 million subscribers to Telewest.
	1.25 million subscribers to NTL
	1.26 million subscribers to ITV Digital
	Source:
	Pay television subscriber figures December 2001
	(ii) The Office for National Statistics has available the following figures for Great Britain from the National Statistics Omnibus Survey, October 2001. These figures were released on 18 December 2001.
	
		
			   Percentage 
		
		
			  Proportion of households in Great Britain by whether there is digital TV in the household; October 2001 
			 Households with digital TV 29 
			 Households without digital TV 71 
			   
			  Proportion of households in Great Britain with digital TV broken down by service provider; October 2001 
			 Digital TV service provider  
			 ONDigital/ITVDigital 11 
			 Sky Digital 64 
			 NTL (Cable-Digital)/Telewest 25 
			 Other (including other cable and terrestrial)(7) 1 
		
	
	(7) The majority of these households had digital terrestrial TV.
	Note:
	These percentages are proportions of all households with digital TV (29 per cent. of GB households). Like all estimates from sample surveys these figures are subject to sampling variability.
	Source:
	National Statistics Omnibus Survey
	(B) Digital television coverage
	The latest figures available from the Independent Television Commission are as follows:
	
		(1) Digital terrestrial television (DTT) as at July 2001
		
			 UK coverage Percentage population  Number of homes 
		
		
			 Multiplex 1 BBC 81 20,261,000 
			 Multiplex 2, Digital 3&4 80 19,851,000 
			 Multiplex A, SDN 78 19,455,000 
			 Multiplex B, ITV Digital 79 19,546,000 
			 Multiplex C, ITV Digital 76 18,963,000 
			 Multiplex D, ITV Digital 74 18,441,000 
			 Core coverage(8) 68 16,929,000 
		
	
	(8) Core coverage is the ability to receive all six multiplexes
	The BBC and ITC, who are responsible for the DTT transmission network, are considering, in consultation with Government and stakeholders, how to improve coverage of all DTT multiplexes across the UK.
	(2) Digital satellite is predicted to reach about 98.2 per cent. of the UK population.
	(3) The ITC does not have figures for the number of homes passed by digital cable.
	(4) Data is not available for other technologies.

Digital Television

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the likelihood of digital television transmission reaching homes that are not receiving analogue reception in North Devon; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what efforts have been made to encourage digital television switchover in areas that do not receive analogue television reception.

Kim Howells: The Digital Television Action Plan, posted on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk on 20 December, sets out a series of actions for Government and stakeholders to promote digital television and to prepare for switchover. We began a consultation on 11 December 2001 seeking views on the basis on which we should plan the use of spectrum once analogue transmissions cease, including what level of coverage would be required by terrestrial television for public service broadcasting and for pay-tv services. The consultation closed on 5 April 2002 and we are considering the responses.

Television Reception

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what proportion of homes in North Devon, and what proportion of total geographical area in North Devon, were unable to receive (a) digital terrestrial, (b) digital satellite, (c) cable and (d) none of those television signals in each of the past seven years; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The information can be provided only in the form requested at disproportionate cost. However, estimates of coverage of digital television services in North Devon, provided by the Independent Television Commission are as follows:
	(i) digital terrestrial: approximately 46,000 viewers in North Devon can receive BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 services from the Huntshaw Cross transmitter, 42,000 of whom are able to receive all digital terrestrial services;
	(ii) digital satellite: UK coverage is around 98 per cent. of the population; and
	(iii) cable services: these are not available in the North Devon area.

Television Reception

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many homes are unable to receive analogue television signals in north Devon; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I understand from the Independent Television Commission (ITC) that around 2,000 homes in north Devon may experience difficulty in receiving good quality analogue signals. However, the ITC also advise that, depending on the quality of individual aerial installations, reception is often possible in areas where signal strengths are low, though a degradation in picture quality may be noticeable.

Television Reception

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve (a) television and (b) radio reception in north Devon; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The provision of television and radio services in the UK is a matter for the BBC, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority and the commercial broadcasters to determine, subject to spectrum availability.

UK Sport (Drugs Inquiries)

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on UK Sport's inquiry into matters relating to the life ban on participation in athletics imposed on Mr. Paul Edwards;
	(2)  if she will have discussions with UK Athletics and King's college, London, on co-operation with UK Sport's inquiry into matters relating to the life ban on participation in athletics imposed on Mr. Paul Edwards.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 19 April 2002
	UK Sport is the lead agency for the Government's anti-doping programme. Its Chairman Sir Rodney Walker has met Mr. Paul Edwards and his advisers to hear his concerns regarding his life ban on participation in athletics. This resulted from a second positive drug test, which was the subject of an independent review of the evidence, a disciplinary hearing chaired by an independent QC and an appeal hearing also chaired by a QC. UK Sport are seeking further information and views from the parties concerned. It would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in individual doping cases.

UK Sport (Drugs Inquiries)

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take measures to ensure that UK Sport has sufficient powers to conduct inquiries into previous rulings on the alleged use of performance- enhancing substances.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 19 April 2002
	UK Sport is the lead agency for the Government's anti-doping programme. The National Anti-Doping Policy, recently launched by UK Sport, sets out standardised procedures to ensure that governing bodies of sport have consistent, transparent and accountable anti-doping procedures. The National Anti-Doping Policy has clearly defined independent review, disciplinary and appeal processes built into it.

Public Entertainment (Licensed Premises)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent representations she has received concerning the licensing of premises for public entertainment; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans she has to change the law on the licensing of premises for public entertainment, with regard to the number of performers allowed to perform at unlicensed premises.

Kim Howells: I have received a number of representations recently from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents and from performers of live music calling for the abolition of the exemption which provides for up to two musicians to perform live in public houses without a public entertainment licence. These include a number of similar letters sent to me as part of a campaign. I have also received representations arguing that all live music should be exempt from licensing, that some licence fees are excessive, that some conditions attached by local authorities are disproportionate and that the current licensing regime deters spontaneous singing in public houses.
	Our plans for the modernisation of the licensing regimes were set out clearly in the White Paper "Time for Reform" (Cm. 4696) published on 10 April 2000. We proposed that the current exemption from public entertainment licensing that allows two musicians to perform live in premises licensed for the sale of alcohol should end. This is because one or two live musicians using powerful microphones and amplifiers can make more noise and so generate more nuisance for local residents than three without. Alcohol and public entertainment licensing will be integrated into a single scheme. This would remove at a stroke a considerable amount of existing red tape and reduce the licensing costs which currently deter many venues from providing live music and dancing. The reforms will be implemented by means of primary legislation to be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Complaints

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints were registered against her Department and its predecessor Departments in (a) 1990 to 1996 and (b) 1997 to 2002; how many are current; and what proportion were (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the parliamentary ombudsman in those periods.

Kim Howells: holding answer 22 April 2002
	The information on complaints received for the periods requested in (a) and (b) is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. There is one current complaint. The number of complaints (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the parliamentary ombudsman is contained in the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration's annual reports for the periods specified, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Playing Fields

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the statistics compiled by the DCMS monitoring group on playing field sales on the number of applications reported to the group for the disposal of playing fields over the past two years.

Richard Caborn: Data on playing field sales are not available. The Playing Field Monitoring Group will shortly be publishing combined figures for (a) applications from schools submitted to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for the disposal or change of use of school playing fields (which are already published monthly), and (b) figures from Sport England giving details of planning applications affecting playing fields which have been referred to them as statutory consultee (which are already published quarterly), along with (c) relevant data from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

PRIME MINISTER

Staff Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in his Office; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 22 April 2002, at column 91W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Vacant Teaching Posts

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant head teacher posts there were in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) all schools, expressed as a percentage of the total number of head teachers, in each year since 1997 broken down by local education authority.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Individual Learning Accounts

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in (a) reaching agreement on outstanding liability on the Department to pay Individual Learning Account contributions to training providers and (b) making such payments.

John Healey: My Department wrote to all registered learning providers on 31 January 2002 setting out future payment arrangements. Claims have been invited from providers for learning booked on the ILA centre system, but not confirmed by the closure of the Individual Learning Account programme on 23 November, with start dates between 1 September 2001 and 31 March 2002. Pay runs are now being made on a monthly cycle. Where we have complaints or other concerns, payments are withheld pending the outcome of validation checks and investigations.
	Since the closure of the Individual Learning Account programme on 23 November: payments of £8.16 million have been made to 2,883 registered learning providers; and payments of £15.12 million to 223 learning providers have been withheld pending results of validation checks and investigations.

Individual Learning Accounts

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the ILA providers who were (a) deregistered because of failure to register between June and August 2001 and (b) deregistered (i) temporarily or (ii) permanently for non-compliance with the scheme's rules.

John Healey: holding answer 15 April 2002
	It is not appropriate to list individual learning account providers as the information requested is held as commercial in confidence. The number of providers who failed to re-register between June and August 2001 is 485. Prior to the closure on 23 November 2001 47 providers had been suspended from the register of learning providers. None had been permanently removed from the register. From 23 November 2001, we have withheld payments from 239 providers, including 17 of those originally suspended, pending completion of validation checks and investigations into claims.

Press Office

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of running the Department's press office was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The annual budget for the Department for Education and Employment/Department for Education and Skills press office for 1996–97, 2000–01 and 2001–02 (spend to date) are:
	
		Press office budget figures -- £
		
			  Spend to date Year to date 
		
		
			 1996–97 n/a 1,387,834 
			 2000–01 n/a 2,086,576 
			 2001–02 1,877,461(9) n/a 
		
	
	(9) To date

Curriculum Online

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made with the Curriculum Online programme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: We are currently working on the design/build phase of the programme to prepare for the September roll-out of the Curriculum Online service. The service will offer teachers a range of educational material, both free and priced, and will give them the freedom to access the resources that best suit their teaching needs, using the advanced search technology which will feature on the portal.

Pay Scales

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the differential between upper pay scales in further and secondary education in the last three years for which records are available.

Margaret Hodge: The upper pay scale range for qualified teachers in secondary education over the two years for which we hold comparable details is as follows:
	2000: £25,959 to £30,018;
	2001: £26,919 to £31,128.
	The equivalent pay scale range for lecturers in further education sector colleges, as recommended by employer and employee representative bodies, over the same period is:
	2000: £24,039 to £31,771;
	2001: £24,928 to 32,947.
	Although the scales are broadly comparable, as independent corporations colleges have their own pay policies and the way in which the recommended pay scales are used will vary from college to college.

Further and Higher Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 68W, regarding planned funding of further and higher education, if the planned cash increase of £412 million in 2001–02 was all spent.
	(2)  pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 68W, regarding planned funding of further and higher education, if the planned cash increases of £268 million and £298 million for 2002–03 and 2003–04 will all be spent in the years for which they were allocated.

Margaret Hodge: The increase in publicly planned funding for higher education institutions in England in 2001–02 over 2000–01 is now estimated to be £396 million, the difference being due mainly to the re-classification of planned expenditure to support widening participation in that year. The accounts for 2001–02 are not yet closed and will not be finalised until November 2002.
	For the subsequent two years the increases are now expected to be £292 million and £304 million respectively. The differences are due to provision of funding for the British Academy being made via the Higher Education Funding Council for England from 2002–03, and this increase being offset by a further re-classification of planned expenditure for widening participation in those years. It is intended that these increases will be spent in the years for which they are allocated.

Student Financial Support

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to review the Government's policies on student financial support.

Margaret Hodge: The Government have announced a review of student finance. We are considering a number of options and a decision will be made in due course.

Universities

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress is being made on lifting the cap on university enrolment.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accepted the recommendation of the board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) that they dispense with the Maximum Student Number (MaSN) control from 2002–03. It has been agreed that should the removal of the control have undesirable effects, the policies would be reconsidered. Details were announced in the HEFCE publication "Recurrent Grants for 2002–03" (March 02/11) and sent to the heads of all HEFCE-funded institutions and heads of universities in Northern Ireland.

Medicine

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she will take to increase the number of applications to study medicine from social classes IV and V, between 1996 and 2001.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 17 April 2002
	Widening access was a criterion in the exercise to distribute new medical places, completed in 2001. Under the "Widening Participation in Medicine" programme universities were encouraged to put forward innovative proposals to support the admission of students from a broad range of social and ethnic backgrounds. The aim is to reflect the population served by the NHS.
	In addition, the Council of Heads of Medical Schools, working closely with the Commission for Racial Equality, has set up guiding principles and a model action plan for handling applications and admissions. These have been adopted by all 24 medical schools in the UK.
	This Government are committed to raising the participation rates for people from low income backgrounds. We have a £290 million programme under Excellence Challenge, to raise the aspirations of those who traditionally would not consider enter higher education. Moreover, students from lower income families do not pay tuition fees.
	As a result of these measures, between 1996 and 2001 the number of applicants from social class IV accepted on to medical courses increased by 32 per cent. and by 50 per cent. for social class V.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what shortages of (a) drivers, (b) signallers and (c) tracklayers exist within the railway industry; and how many vacancies there are within the industry for (i) middle managers, (ii) graduates and (iii) others.

John Healey: The Progress Report on "Delivering the Framework for Skills in the Rail Industry", published in December 2001 by the Strategic Rail Authority and my Department, gives the following information on skill shortages for these occupations:
	
		
			 Occupational group Population Number of skill shortages Percentage 
		
		
			 Trade Occupations
			 Train driving 19,000 855 4.5 
			 Signal operation (and control) 6,500 (10)(795) 100 (10)(12.3) 1.5 
			 Track laying and maintenance 10,000 1,200 12 
			 
			 First line/middle management 18,650 755 4 
			 
			 Graduate and professional staff 20,000 1,638 8 
			 
			 Other occupations 45,050 (11)— (11)— 
		
	
	(10) These figures have been amended since the report was published, as new information became available.
	(11) Not available.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 119W, on skills shortages in the railway industry, if she will place in the Library copies of the "Framework for Skills in the Rail Industry" and the progress report; to whom, and where, she announced the funding for new adult apprenticeships; and to which significant skill shortages she refers.

John Healey: Copies of the "Framework for Skills in the Rail Industry" and the progress report on it have been placed in the Library. I announced the funding for adult apprenticeships for the rail industry at the Transport Skills Seminar on 14 February 2002. The significant skill shortages I referred to are those for train driving, signal operation (and control), electrification and track laying and maintenance.

EU Council of Ministers

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who attended the education meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on 8 June 2001 on behalf of the UK; and who led the UK delegation.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 18 April 2002
	There was no meeting of the EU Education Council on this date. However, the UK was represented, at the meeting of 8 June 2000, by Nicol Stephen MSP. This is one of only two occasions, when a Minister from Scotland has led the UK delegation at a meeting of the EU Education Council.

EU Council of Ministers

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who attended the education meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on 12 February 2001 on behalf of the UK; and who led the UK delegation.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The UK was represented at the EU Education Council of 12 February 2001 by Nicol Stephen MSP. This is one of only two occasions, when a Minister from Scotland has led the UK delegation at a meeting of the EU Education Council.

School Sports Provision (Bristol)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many letters Ministers in her Department and officials have received about the provision of sports facilities at Cotham School, Bristol.

John Healey: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The Department has received 28 letters concerning PE facilities at Cotham School in Bristol, up to and including 16 April 2002.

School Sports Provision (Bristol)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the provision of sports in schools in Bristol.

John Healey: holding answer 18 April 2002
	Bristol city council has received a provisional allocation of just under £4.5 million from the New Opportunities Fund for the provision and enhancement of sports and physical education facilities in the 361 schools in Bristol. The New Opportunities Fund is a National Lottery distribution body, independent of central Government. The Fund has asked local education authorities to consult with other organisations in the area to determine priorities, and assesses applications to ensure that they demonstrate that there is a local need. Case managers work with LEAs to develop applications.
	Central Government cannot influence the outcome of local consultation.

Computer Training (Over-50s)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government have done to help people over 50 learn how to use computers and to receive training in information technology.

John Healey: The Department for Education and Skills is committed to enabling people to learn later in life and to widening access to ICT skills. By the end of 2002 there will be over 6,000 UK online centres throughout England with access points in public libraries, colleges, local community centres and elsewhere. Older people are one of the key client groups for this initiative. In addition there are over 1,600 learndirect centres, which along with FE colleges and Adult and Community Learning centres, offer opportunities for older learners to improve their ICT skills.

Learndirect

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of people resident in the Buckingham constituency who are studying a Learndirect course (a) online and (b) at a Learndirect centre;
	(2)  which (a) Learndirect and (b) UK online learning centres are based in the Buckingham constituency; and if she will indicate the date they were established in each case.

John Healey: Just under 2,000 people in the Buckingham constituency have studied, or are studying, a learndirect course with an element of online learning. A large proportion of these will have used a learndirect centre for some or all their learning. It is, however, not currently possible to gather information on where learners are accessing their learndirect learning.
	There is a learndirect centre, a learndirect access point and a UK online centre in the Buckingham constituency:
	The Winslow Centre in Winslow, established in November 1999. This is a learndirect and a UK online centre.
	Tomorrowclub Ltd. in Aylesbury, established in January 2001. This is a learndirect access point.

Teachers' Pay Regrading

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the cost to local education authorities in England and Wales in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 of her regrading of teachers' pay scales.

Stephen Timms: In addition to the cost of the general pay award of 3.5 per cent., the 0.1 per cent. cost of the additional allowance of £33 payable to teachers in respect of the fees they are required to pay to the General Teaching Councils for England or Wales, and the cost of pay progression for performance or experience, the cost of shortening the main pay scale to six points is estimated to be 0.4 per cent. of the pay bill in 2002–03 and 1 per cent. in 2003–04.

Complaints

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints were registered against her Department and its predecessor Departments in (a) 1990 to 1996 and (b) 1997 to 2002; how many are current; and what proportion were (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in those periods.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 19 April 2002
	The number of complaints received by the Department and its predecessor Departments for the dates stated can be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	Any and all complaints referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman are accounted for in their annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/document/par01/index.
	The Department's current complaints procedure complies with Standard Five of the Six Service Standards for Central Government. Complaints can be made in writing, by fax, by e-mail, by telephone or in person (by appointment). More information can be found on the DfES website at www.dfes.gov.uk/compl.shtml.

Education (Herefordshire)

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes the Budget of 17 April will make to the provision of education in Herefordshire.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget an additional £85 million investment in 2002–03 in school and college buildings in England. This means that every maintained school in England, including those in Herefordshire, will receive in 2002–03 an additional allocation of about 20 per cent. of New Deal for Schools Devolved formula capital for schools. Details of changes to funding for education will be announced when the spending review has been completed in the summer.

Asylum Seekers (Education)

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provisions of race relations statutory provision apply to access to school places for children of asylum seekers.

Ivan Lewis: There are no specific statutory provisions that apply in respect of the access to school places for children of asylum seekers.
	Section 17 of the Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful for school admission authorities to discriminate against a person (a) in the terms that it offers to admit a child to the school, (b) by refusing or deliberately omitting to accept the application for the child's admission to the school as a pupil, or (c) where the child is a pupil at a school (i) in the way that the pupil is granted access to any benefits, facilities or services or by refusing or deliberately not allowing the pupil access to them or (ii) excluding them from the school or subjecting them to other detriment.
	Section 18 of the same Act makes it unlawful for an LEA to perform any act which constitutes racial discrimination, not covered by section 17, when carrying out any of its functions under the education legislation.
	These apply to all children, including those of asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers (Education)

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the availability of places in schools in the vicinity of the proposed sites for accommodation centres.

Ivan Lewis: No such assessment has been made. The proposed sites for the accommodation centres have not yet been decided.

Asylum Seekers (Education)

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether accommodation centres which provide education for asylum seekers will be required to have a governing body.

Ivan Lewis: The administration and management of accommodation centres will be a matter for contractors who will run the centres. Bids to operate them have not yet been invited but contractors (once appointed) will run the centres within parameters defined by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Asylum Seekers (Education)

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether children seeking asylum have the same right to education as other children in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 22 April 2002
	Asylum seeking children have the same right to education as all other children in England and Wales.

Asylum Seekers (Education)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which bodies have been consulted on removing some refugee children from the application of sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996; and which bodies were in favour.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 22 April 2002
	The views of a number of chief education officers and interested organisations were sought informally. All those who responded asked for LEA duties in respect of asylum seeker children in accommodation centres to be clarified. The majority were not in favour of any changes to LEA duties.

Departmental Circular

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the circular documents that were sent by her Department to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools during March; and how many pages each document contained.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 22 April 2002
	The Department sent five documents to all primary schools and eight documents to all secondary schools in March 2002 as listed below.
	
		
			 Communications to primary schools Page numbers 
		
		
			 Letter from Secretary of State—performance points on the upper pay scale 3 
			 Spectrum 11 
			 Standards and school workload. Letter from Secretary of State +poster 3 
			 Teachers Pay confirmation 2002–03 8 
			 Write Here , Write Now 2002—competition/letter 3 
		
	
	
		
			 Communications to secondary schools Page numbers 
		
		
			 14–19: More opportunities, Higher Standards—Young People's version of the Green Paper 18 
			 Connexions Card launch 2 
			 Key Stage 3 National Strategy Designing and timetabling the Key Stage 3 Curriculum 31 
			 Letter from Secretary of State—performance points on the upper pay scale 3 
			 Progress file to replace the National Record of Achievement 3 
			 Spectrum 11 
			 Standards and school workload. Letter from Secretary of State +poster 3 
			 Teachers' pay confirmation 2002–03 8

Maintained Schools

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the occasions on which a maintained school applying for a change of status has been refused permission by the school organisation committee, stating the grounds for refusal in each case.

Stephen Timms: Only one proposal for a change of school category has been rejected by a School Organisation Committee since the change of category regulations were introduced in September 2000. Proposals published by the governing body of Olney Middle Community School, to become a Foundation School, were rejected by Milton Keynes School Organisation Committee in March this year. The Committee stated that their reason for rejection was that the proposals were not in the best interests of education in the area because they did not demonstrate how the change would support improving standards.
	In another five cases, the School Organisation Committee was not able to arrive at a unanimous decision, so the change proposals were referred to the Schools Adjudicator, who approved them.

Maintained Schools

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which maintained schools have changed status between (a) foundation, (b) community, (c) voluntary aided and (d) other in each year since the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 created the categories, giving the initial status and the new status in each case.

Stephen Timms: The following schools have changed category since the Education (Change of Category of Maintained Schools)(England) Regulations came into force on September 2000:
	
		
			 School LEA New category Decision by Change date 
		
		
			 (a) Foundation 
			 Repton Primary Derbyshire Community SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			  
			 (b) Community 
			 Churston Ferrers Grammar Torbay Foundation SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 St. Edmund's Community Norfolk Foundation SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			 New Bradwell Combined Milton Keynes Foundation SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			 Ousedale Milton Keynes Foundation SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			 Mayfield School and College Redbridge Foundation Schools adjudicator 1 January 2002 
			 Stanton Middle Milton Keynes Foundation Schools adjudicator 1 February 2002 
			 Torquay Grammar School for Girls Torbay Foundation SOC(12) 1 April 2002 
			 Loughton Middle Milton Keynes Foundation SOC(12) 1 April 2002 
			 Southwood Middle Milton Keynes Foundation SOC(12) 1 April 2002 
			 Cleeve Secondary Gloucestershire Foundation SOC(12) 1 April 2002 
			 Shenley Brook End Milton Keynes Foundation Schools adjudicator 1 September 2002 
			 Hayesfield Secondary Bath and north-east Somerset Foundation Schools adjudicator 1 September 2002 
			  
			 (c) Voluntary aided 
			 Kirkbie Kendal VA Secondary Cumbria Foundation SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			  
			 (d) Voluntary controlled 
			 Springwood High Norfolk Foundation SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 Heddington CE Primary Wiltshire Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 Zeals CE First Wiltshire Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 Verwood CE VC First Dorset Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 St. George's CE Primary, Bourton Dorset Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 September 2001 
			 Keevil CE Primary Wiltshire Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			 Crockerton CE Primary Wiltshire Voluntary aided SOC(12) 1 January 2002 
			 Stoborough CE First Dorset Voluntary aided Schools adjudicator 1 September 2002 
		
	
	(12) SOC = local School Organisation Committee

LEA Funding

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of education funding was delegated to schools by local education authority area in the latest year for which figures are available, estimating the extra spending per pupil in each authority delegated at the highest percentage level.

Stephen Timms: The following table sets out, for each local education authority, (a) the percentage of the Local Schools Budget (LSB) delegated to schools in 2001–02 and (b) the additional amount per pupil which would have been delegated to schools if the LEA had delegated 90.6 per cent. of its LSB (this being the highest delegation percentage achieved by any LEA).
	
		
			   Column 1 Column 2 
			   Increase in delegated funding if LEA had delegated at level of highest delegating authority 
			 LEA name  Percentage of LSB delegated 2001–02 £ per pupil 
		
		
			 Havering 90.6 0 
			 Southend-on-Sea 90.3 8 
			 Lincolnshire 90.3 7 
			 Barnet 90.2 11 
			 Sefton 89.5 32 
			 Northamptonshire 89.0 44 
			 Rotherham 88.9 47 
			 Wigan 88.8 50 
			 West Berkshire 88.7 53 
			 Trafford 88.6 55 
			 Brent 88.5 70 
			 Kingston upon Thames 88.5 62 
			 Kirklees 88.5 59 
			 Halton 88.4 66 
			 Lewisham 88.3 89 
			 Hillingdon 88.3 68 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 88.3 64 
			 Northumberland 88.3 62 
			 Redbridge 88.2 75 
			 Peterborough 88.1 75 
			 Tower Hamlets 88.0 115 
			 Bournemouth 88.0 74 
			 Sandwell 87.9 80 
			 Slough 87.9 87 
			 Cumbria 87.8 79 
			 Birmingham 87.7 96 
			 St. Helens 87.7 82 
			 Salford 87.6 89 
			 Devon 87.6 80 
			 Shropshire 87.6 79 
			 Poole 87.5 86 
			 Rochdale 87.4 91 
			 Durham 87.4 92 
			 Plymouth 87.4 91 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 87.3 136 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 87.3 93 
			 Brighton and Hove 87.3 101 
			 West Sussex 87.3 93 
			 Wirral 87.1 101 
			 Norfolk 87.1 98 
			 Sutton 87.0 109 
			 South Tyneside 87.0 107 
			 Warrington 87.0 97 
			 Hounslow 86.9 126 
			 Solihull 86.9 97 
			 Liverpool 86.9 121 
			 Hartlepool 86.9 106 
			 East Sussex 86.9 107 
			 Southampton 86.9 115 
			 Warwickshire 86.9 101 
			 Walsall 86.8 108 
			 Wolverhampton 86.8 113 
			 North Tyneside 86.8 108 
			 North Lincolnshire 86.8 108 
			 North Yorkshire 86.8 108 
			 Suffolk 86.8 106 
			 Southwark 86.7 152 
			 Bexley 86.7 111 
			 Enfield 86.7 128 
			 Oldham 86.7 115 
			 Sunderland 86.7 113 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 86.7 109 
			 Rutland 86.7 114 
			 Swindon 86.7 103 
			 Bury 86.6 106 
			 Barnsley 86.6 110 
			 Dorset 86.6 112 
			 Darlington 86.6 110 
			 Newham 86.5 145 
			 Richmond upon Thames 86.5 123 
			 Bradford 86.5 122 
			 Cambridgeshire 86.5 112 
			 Ealing 86.4 144 
			 Hampshire 86.4 117 
			 Portsmouth 86.4 130 
			 South Gloucestershire 86.3 118 
			 Middlesbrough 86.3 132 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 86.3 126 
			 Surrey 86.3 123 
			 Barking and Dagenham 86.2 145 
			 Knowsley 86.2 143 
			 Essex 86.2 130 
			 Medway 86.2 130 
			 Isle of Wight 86.2 133 
			 Islington 86.1 178 
			 Wandsworth 86.1 172 
			 Harrow 86.1 143 
			 Gateshead 86.1 137 
			 City of Bristol 86.1 139 
			 Wiltshire 86.1 118 
			 Wokingham 86.1 125 
			 Cheshire 86.1 124 
			 Waltham Forest 86.0 171 
			 Hertfordshire 86.0 132 
			 Coventry 85.9 144 
			 Bromley 85.8 140 
			 Calderdale 85.8 139 
			 Leeds 85.8 145 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull 85.8 148 
			 Luton 85.8 147 
			 Cornwall 85.8 135 
			 Somerset 85.8 135 
			 Greenwich 85.7 190 
			 Westminster 85.7 208 
			 Dudley 85.7 131 
			 Sheffield 85.7 139 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 85.7 148 
			 Camden 85.6 218 
			 Croydon 85.6 156 
			 Derbyshire 85.6 134 
			 Blackpool 85.6 144 
			 Merton 85.5 160 
			 Manchester 85.4 175 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 85.4 154 
			 North Somerset 85.4 137 
			 Lancashire 85.4 150 
			 Nottinghamshire 85.4 143 
			 Oxfordshire 85.4 147 
			 Bolton 85.3 148 
			 York 85.3 151 
			 Milton Keynes 85.3 156 
			 Staffordshire 85.3 138 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 85.3 159 
			 Kent 85.3 156 
			 Hackney 85.2 219 
			 Tameside 85.2 153 
			 Bath & North East Somerset 85.2 155 
			 Derby 85.2 155 
			 Gloucestershire 85.2 147 
			 Haringey 85.1 205 
			 Stockport 85.1 146 
			 Bedfordshire 85.1 161 
			 Buckinghamshire 85.1 151 
			 Leicester 85.1 169 
			 Bracknell Forest 85.1 153 
			 Herefordshire 85.1 149 
			 Telford and Wrekin 85.1 158 
			 Wakefield 85.0 154 
			 North East Lincolnshire 85.0 164 
			 Leicestershire 85.0 148 
			 Reading 85.0 168 
			 Torbay 85.0 157 
			 Nottingham 85.0 185 
			 Thurrock 84.8 177 
			 Doncaster 84.7 169 
			 Lambeth 83.7 296 
			 Worcestershire 83.7 190 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 83.6 314 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The percentages in column 1 are those shown for each LEA in the annual comparative table published by the Department on 29 June 2001, except in the cases of Halton and Westminster, whose figures have been revised in the light of subsequent information. (Subsequent information from two other LEAs does not affect the calculation of their delegation percentages rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent.). As in the case of the annual comparative table, the Corporation of London and the Isles of Scilly have been omitted.
	2. The calculations underlying column 2 are based on the rounded percentages in column 1. As in column 1 and in the annual comparative table, delegated funding includes devolved Standards Fund grants, but not School Standards Grant.

Playing Fields

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was realised by each local education authority from the disposal of school playing fields in each of the past five years.

Stephen Timms: The exact amount of money raised by each local education authority from the disposal of school playing fields is not known. In those cases where disposal has been approved, the disposal transaction, whether it is a sale, land exchange or the granting of a lease, might not yet be concluded. It is not possible, therefore, to say exactly what proceeds have been raised. Proceeds from the disposal of school playing fields can only be used to help improve sports and education facilities at maintained schools.
	The table shows the proceeds that each local education authority expects to raise from approved applications to dispose of areas equal to, or larger than, a small sports pitch of 2000m 2 suitable for use by the under-10s.
	
		Estimated proceeds by local education authority in England arising from approved applications to dispose of school playing fields larger than a sports pitch under section 77 and Schedule 22 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, October 1998 to 19 April 2002
		
			 Local education authority 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — — — 
			 Barnet — — 8,650,000 — — 
			 Barnsley — — — — — 
			 Bath and North East Somerset — — — — — 
			 Bedfordshire — 72,000 — 100,000 — 
			 Bexley — — 650,000 — — 
			 Birmingham — — — 900,000 — 
			 Blackburn with Darwen — — — — — 
			 Blackpool — — 450,000 — — 
			 Bolton — 800,000 — — — 
			 Bournemouth — — — — — 
			 Bracknell Forest — — — — — 
			 Bradford — — — — — 
			 Brent — — — — — 
			 Brighton and Hove — — — — — 
			 Bristol 2,200,000 — — — — 
			 Bromley — — — — — 
			 Buckinghamshire — 468,000 4,500,000 — — 
			 Bury — — — — — 
			 Calderdale 1,038,000 — — — — 
			 Cambridgeshire — — — — 500,000 
			 Camden — — 285,000 — — 
			 Cheshire — — 3,175,000 308,000 — 
			 County Durham — 32,600 6,520 — — 
			 Cornwall — — — — — 
			 Coventry — — — — — 
			 Croydon — 3,000,000 — — — 
			 Cumbria — — — — — 
			 Darlington — — — — — 
			 Derby, City of — — — — — 
			 Derbyshire — 218,000 363,000 — — 
			 Devon — 750,000 150,000 — — 
			 Doncaster — — — — — 
			 Dorset — — — 1,500,000 — 
			 Dudley — — — — — 
			 Ealing — — 1,000,000 — — 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire — — — — — 
			 East Sussex — — — — — 
			 Enfield — 1,200,000 — — — 
			 Essex — 1,000,000 7,500,000 4,000,000 — 
			 Gateshead — — — — — 
			 Gloucestershire 99 — 900,000 — — 
			 Greenwich — — — — — 
			 Hackney — — — — — 
			 Halton 50,000 — — — — 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 400,000 — — — 
			 Hampshire — — — 10,000 — 
			 Haringey — — — — — 
			 Harrow — — — — — 
			 Hartlepool — — — — — 
			 Havering — — 6,850,000 — — 
			 Herefordshire — — — — — 
			 Hertfordshire — 10,650,000 — 800,000 — 
			 Hillingdon — 700,000 — — — 
			 Hounslow — — — — — 
			 Isle of Wight — — — — — 
			 Isles of Scilly — — — — — 
			 Islington — — — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — — — — — 
			 Kent — 480,000 2,585,000 75,000 — 
			 Kingston upon Hull — — — — — 
			 Kingston upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Kirklees — — — — — 
			 Knowsley — — — — — 
			 Lambeth — — — — — 
			 Lancashire — 1,225,000 — 315,000 — 
			 Leeds — 650,000 — 720,000 — 
			 Leicester, City of — — — — — 
			 Leicestershire — — — — 3,500,000 
			 Lewisham — — — — — 
			 Lincolnshire — — — — — 
			 Liverpool — — — 2,500,000 — 
			 London, Corporation of — — — — — 
			 Luton — — — — — 
			 Manchester — — — — 3,020,100 
			 Medway Towns — — 600,000 — — 
			 Merton — — — — — 
			 Middlesbrough — — — — — 
			 Milton Keynes — 5,480,000 — — — 
			 Newcastle — 1,250,999 — — — 
			 Newham — — — — — 
			 Norfolk — — 181,500 — — 
			 North East Lincolnshire — — — — — 
			 North Lincolnshire — — — — — 
			 North Somerset — — — — — 
			 North Tyneside — 95,000 — — — 
			 North Yorkshire — — — — — 
			 Northamptonshire — — — 4,000,000 — 
			 Northumberland — 1,350,018 5,158,000 5,850 — 
			 Nottingham — — — — — 
			 Nottinghamshire — — 140,000 — — 
			 Oldham — — — — — 
			 Oxfordshire — 980,000 3,700,000 — — 
			 Peterborough — — — 1,985,000 — 
			 Plymouth — — — — — 
			 Poole — — — — — 
			 Portsmouth — — — — — 
			 Reading — — — — — 
			 Redbridge — — — — — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — — — — — 
			 Richmond upon Thames — — — — — 
			 Rochdale — 300,000 — 400,000 — 
			 Rotherham — — — — — 
			 Rutland — — — — — 
			 Salford — — — — — 
			 Sandwell — — — — — 
			 Sefton — 5,000 — — — 
			 Sheffield — 160,000 — — — 
			 Shropshire — — — 600,000 — 
			 Slough — — 278,615 — — 
			 Solihull — — — — — 
			 Somerset — — — — — 
			 South Gloucestershire — — — — — 
			 South Tyneside — — — — — 
			 Southampton — — — — — 
			 Southend on Sea — — — — — 
			 Southwark — — — — — 
			 St. Helens — — — — — 
			 Staffordshire — 1,700,000 — — — 
			 Stockport — — — — — 
			 Stockton on Tees — — — — — 
			 Stoke on Trent — — — — — 
			 Suffolk — 120,000 — — — 
			 Sunderland — — — — — 
			 Surrey — 4,413,000 1,950,000 — — 
			 Sutton — — — — — 
			 Swindon — — — — — 
			 Tameside — — — — — 
			 Telford and Wrekin — — 300,000 — — 
			 Thurrock — — — — — 
			 Torbay — — — — — 
			 Tower Hamlets — — — — — 
			 Trafford — — 2,900,000 — — 
			 Wakefield — 1,505,000 48,000 — — 
			 Walsall — 2,000,000 — 3,100,000 — 
			 Waltham Forest — — — — — 
			 Wandsworth — — — — — 
			 Warrington — — — — — 
			 Warwickshire 245,000 300,000 800,000 3,000,000 — 
			 West Berkshire — — — — — 
			 West Sussex — 7,900,000 2,945,000 — — 
			 Westminster — — — — — 
			 Wigan — 1,380,000 600,000 — — 
			 Wiltshire — — — 2,010,000 — 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead — — — — — 
			 Wirral 2,414,000 — — — — 
			 Wokingham — — — — — 
			 Wolverhampton — — 2,387,500 — — 
			 Worcestershire — — — 2,000 — 
			 York — — — — — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Excludes applications that have been withdrawn or rejected.
	2. Excludes applications covered by a general consent.
	3. Includes applications to dispose of playing fields at foundation, voluntary and former grant-maintained schools.
	4. 'Sports pitch' means areas of open grassed land which are equal to, or larger than, the Football Association's recommended area for games played by under-10s, that is 2,000m
	(13) and which have a configuration making them suitable for sports pitches.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Social Housing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to review the guidance to local authorities on developing the expansion of social housing through planning gain.

Sally Keeble: We have consulted on proposals to replace the present system of negotiated planning obligations with an approach based upon the application of a more transparent tariff-based approach applicable to commercial as well as residential developments.

Wealden Line

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received regarding the time scale for the electrification of the Wealden line.

John Spellar: We have received correspondence from Members of Parliament and others about the "Wealden" line between Lewes and Tunbridge Wells. In addition I have met the Wealden Line Group, who made a useful presentation.
	Partly, representations have been in relation to possible electrification of the line between Uckfield and Eridge, but mainly in relation to possible reinstatement of the lines between Lewes and Uckfield and between Eridge and Tunbridge Wells.

Bedfordshire County Council

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he plans to visit Bedfordshire to discuss local government funding with the county council.

Alan Whitehead: There are currently no plans for Ministers to visit Bedfordshire county council to discuss local government funding.

Local Authority Housing

Bill Rammell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his plans for changes to the level of local authority housing investment.

Sally Keeble: The level of Government support for local authority housing investment is being considered as part of the spending review. Since 1997–98 this Government has increased support for local authority housing investment by more than two and a half times. The spending review is considering what further increases should be made.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees he is providing for loan finance raised by Network Rail; and what discussions he has had with the European Commission about support for the company.

John Spellar: The Network Rail bid, if successful, would involve a subordinated standby credit facility from the SRA.
	This would enable Network Rail to raise the bridging finance required to release Railtrack from administration as soon as possible; and provide a longer term, last resort, loan facility.
	The process of explaining the possible financial arrangements to the commission has now started with a view to obtaining any necessary state aid clearances.

Disabled Access

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what good practice his Department has recently recognised in respect of councils promoting better physical access and mobility within their areas.

Sally Keeble: Earlier this month we announced that Telford and Wrekin Council, Nottingham County Council, and the London borough of Lewisham had been awarded beacon status for their good practice on access and mobility. Aided by increased local transport plan funding, and the sharing of good practices, authorities can help to make our society more inclusive by improving access to work, healthcare, education, and other key services and facilities.

Road Traffic Reduction

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the extent to which local authorities are meeting their obligations under the Road Traffic Reduction Acts 1997 and 1998.

Sally Keeble: It is only the 1997 Act that places an obligation on local authorities. Local authorities in England (outside London) submitted road traffic reduction reports as part of their full local transport plans in July 2000. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. In the Government's view the majority of the reports met local authorities' obligations under the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 in full.

Grant Distribution System

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish details of the grant distribution system intended for 2003–04.

Alan Whitehead: We are currently working with local government to develop options for the new grant distribution system. As we recently announced in the local government White Paper implementation plan, we will consult over the summer. We will then implement our decisions in time for the 2003–04 local government finance settlement.

Multi-modal Studies

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what funding his Department has provided to implement the recommendations of the Midman multi-modal study.

David Jamieson: The 10-year plan provides the funding for transport investment up to 2010, including schemes which are approved following a multi-modal study.

Multi-modal Studies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the estimated tax revenues are that would be generated if the road charging proposals in the DTLR Multi-Modal Study Infrastructure charging seminar summary papers were introduced;
	(2)  at what time the Multi-Modal Study Infrastructure charging seminar summary papers were published on the DTLR website on 9 April;
	(3)  what factors underlay the decision to publish the Multi-Modal Study Infrastructure charging seminar summary papers on 9 April;
	(4)  if he will deposit in the Library the complete versions of the DTLR Multi-Modal Study Infrastructure charging seminar papers.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 15 April 2002
	The papers are already available on the Department's website. However, I have arranged for them to be placed in the Libraries of the House. The papers do not reflect Government policy.
	The papers were produced for an internal seminar. Although under no obligation to publish publicly a request for the papers was received from Transport 2000. It was agreed to provide them with the papers and to make them more widely available by posting them on the Department's website.
	The website team were to post the documents in the week commencing 8 April. They tried to post the documents on Monday 8 April but were prevented by technical difficulties faced by our external contractors.
	Further technical problems faced by the Internet Service Provider meant a delay of approximately two hours between website staff processing the documents for posting at 10.30 on 9 April and when they actually appeared on the website.
	At no stage were Ministers involved in deciding any aspect of the timing of the posting of the papers on the website.
	The Government has made no estimate of the tax revenues that might be generated.

Council Tax

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the average percentage increase in band D council tax this year across England.

Alan Whitehead: The average Band D increase across England for 2002–03 is 8.2 per cent.

Dartford Bridge

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Dartford bridge.

David Jamieson: Following a public consultation the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions announced on 4 April 2002 that we intend to introduce a road user charging scheme at the Dartford Crossing using powers in the Transport Act 2000 when the powers to toll expire. It is expected that the charging scheme will commence on 1 April 2003.

Local Government Review

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for a further local government review.

Alan Whitehead: The recently published Local Government White Paper, "Strong Local Leadership, Quality Public Services", sets out the future of local government in England. The forthcoming Regional Governance White Paper will set out our proposals for elected regional assemblies for England, including the implications for local government.

Rail Links (Scotland)

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in modernising the railway lines to Scotland.

David Jamieson: Modernisation of the West Coast Main Line is under way, and proposals for upgrading the East Coast Main Line are under development.

Parish Councillors

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received with regard to the proposed code of conduct for parish councillors.

Alan Whitehead: Since the new year, there have been 148 representations received by my Department about the model code of conduct for Parishes.

London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent representations he has received from (a) Transport for London, (b) Mr. Bob Kiley and (c) the Mayor of London about future funding and management arrangements for the London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State receives frequent correspondence from the Mayor and Mr. Kiley, on behalf of Transport for London, in relation to the future of London Underground.
	DTLR provided TfL with detailed proposals for an unprecedented commitment of long-term grant funding in February 2002. I expect a full response from TfL shortly.

Planning

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had to ensure that a coherent planning system is implemented across the United Kingdom.

Sally Keeble: Ministers and officials in DTLR have had discussions with colleagues in other Departments and in the devolved administrations about the Green Paper "Planning—Delivering a Fundamental Change". Although responsibility for most aspects of the planning system outside England is for the devolved administrations, similar reform consultation exercises are being undertaken in those areas. The planning system is, and is likely to remain, fundamentally similar across the United Kingdom.

Bus Regulation

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for further regulation of buses.

David Jamieson: The Transport Act 2000 gives local authorities new powers to promote better bus services, including powers for joint ticketing schemes and for quality contracts. If necessary my Department is willing to consider further regulatory changes to improve services and value for money.

Antisocial Behaviour

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to deal effectively with antisocial behaviour.

Sally Keeble: The Department has recently issued a consultation paper, "Tackling Anti-Social Tenants", which is directed towards enabling social landlords to tackle anti-social behaviour more effectively. The proposals and guidance in the consultation paper cover the fundamental areas of enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Antisocial Behaviour

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he is taking to give local authorities additional powers to deal with antisocial behaviour.

Sally Keeble: The Department has recently issued a consultation paper, Tackling Anti-Social Tenants, which is directed towards enabling social landlords to tackle anti-social behaviour more effectively. The paper includes proposed new powers for social landlords. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Walton Ashcott Bypass

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his decision on the Walton Ashcott bypass.

David Jamieson: We decided to turn down Somerset county council's bid because the scheme had not been considered sufficiently in a wider strategic context, including SWARMMS; it is inconsistent with Regional Planning Guidance and the County Structure Plan; and improving road access is considered to have the capacity to generate development of a scale inappropriate to Glastonbury and Street.

Local Government White Paper

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the response he has had from local government regarding the local government White Paper, with special reference to local government finance.

Alan Whitehead: We have received a number of responses to the White Paper from local government on both finance and non-finance proposals. We are taking these into account in taking forward the commitments in the White Paper. Our White Paper implementation plan has been published on the DTLR website.

Rail Congestion

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress his Department has made towards tackling overcrowding on the rail network.

David Jamieson: The SRA's Strategic Plan sets out how the objectives and targets for rail established in the Government's 10-Year Plan are to be delivered.

Fares Policy Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Strategic Rail Authority's review of fares policy.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Railway Authority's review of fares policy is timely, as from January 2003 the current regime can be varied to reflect changes since privatisation. The industry cannot proceed on a blind assumption that existing policies in areas such as fares which are key to the further development of the railways can continue indefinitely. The review will consider the advantages and disadvantages of change.

Parish Councils

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of parish councils.

Alan Whitehead: The Government's rural White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future—A Fair Deal for Rural England" sets out our proposals for strengthening the future role of town and parish councils in England.

Connex Train Services

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement about his plans to improve Connex train services in south-east London.

David Jamieson: We encourage the SRA to ensure that all train operating companies, including Connex, comply with the terms of their franchise agreements. The new directions and guidance, issued to the authority by the Secretary of State on 11 April, include an objective to secure progressive improvements in the performance of franchised rail services.

Sports Pitches

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action is he taking to increase protection for sports pitches in planning legislation.

Sally Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 824W, in which I said that I have no plans to extend the provisions of The Town and Country Planning (Playing Fields) (England) Direction 1998 to cover all playing fields.

South Coast Multi-modal Study

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of the South Coast Multi-Modal study.

David Jamieson: The South Coast Multi-Modal study is consulting on a preferred strategy in May/June 2002 and will be looking to produce a consultant's report in July. This should be in a position to pass to the Regional Assembly in August 2002 for consideration in their November plenary session.

Local Government Finance

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent representations he has received from local authorities about local government finance reform.

Alan Whitehead: We have received a number of responses to last December's White Paper from local government on both finance and non-finance proposals. We are taking these into account in taking forward the commitments in the White Paper. Our White Paper implementation plan has been published on the DTLR website.

Building Regulations

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will list those organisations consulted regarding S.I. 2001, No. 3335 introducing self-certification under the Building Regulations;
	(2)  how his Department will ensure that reputable builders are not disadvantaged by the cost and time involved with self-assessment, as laid out in S.I. 2001, No. 3335;
	(3)  what effect the self-certification of building firms, allowed under the Building Regulations S.I. 2001, No. 3335, will have on building firms.

Alan Whitehead: S.I. 2001, No. 3335, did not introduce self-certification. Self-certification was introduced into the Building Regulations through S.I. 2002, No. 440. This recognises schemes for the self-certification of the installation of combustion appliances, replacement glazing and plumbing work.
	Moving towards self-certification and non-notification by identified competent firms will significantly enhance compliance with the procedural and technical requirements of the regulations; it will reduce costs for firms joining recognised schemes; promote training and competence within the industry; help tackle the problem of 'cowboy builders' by identifying reputable firms to consumers; and will start to assist local authorities with enforcement, as they can devote more resource to tackling those, who either wilfully or in ignorance, fail to comply with the Building Regulations.
	The regulatory impact assessment we undertook prior to laying the regulations, identified that the financial benefit to firms of introducing self-certification would be £104,685,000, taking into account the cost of joining the recognised schemes. These savings arise from firms not having to pay building control fees. Other savings, such as those that would arise from relief from the internal administrative expense and delay in complying with the procedural requirements of the Building Regulations, were not calculated. I understand that the schemes involved have experienced very considerable interest from potential members, and the savings are likely to be higher than the earlier conservative estimate.
	Prior to laying these regulations we undertook extensive consultation. Proposals for self-certification were first consulted on in 1997, with the consultation document 'Proposals for reducing the administrative burden with the prospect at the same time of enhancing health and safety'. The results of the consultation were favourable. We consulted again in 1999 with the document 'Taking Forward Self-Certification Under the Building Regulations'. The consultation went to 250 organisations and a list of these has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	I believe that self-certification is a very significant step forward for promoting competence in the construction industry, and providing rewards for those who voluntarily subscribe to schemes which are designed to protect society from the adverse effects of poor building work.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 667W, how many grants were made by and what the total value of grants was in each local authority in London running a cash incentive scheme in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01.

Sally Keeble: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Cash incentive scheme grants made by London boroughs, 1997–98 to 2000–01
		
			Number of grants made  Total value of grants (£ thousand)  
			   1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Barnet 53 34 23 31 856 545 380 618 
			 Bexley 21 0 0 0 284 0 0 0 
			 Brent 76 46 0 0 1,536 1,034 0 0 
			 Bromley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Camden 28 15 10 50 538 287 198 1,138 
			 City of London 12 7 0 0 150 82 0 0 
			 Croydon 105 92 135 44 1,580 1,397 1,258 858 
			 Ealing 111 48 3 0 1,202 682 50 0 
			 Enfield 76 68 53 41 1,316 1,442 1,334 809 
			 Greenwich 74 4 0 0 802 47 0 0 
			 Hackney 160 120 0 9 3,198 2,190 0 224 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 50 12 0 0 820 155 0 0 
			 Haringey 84 68 16 25 1,392 1,083 175 398 
			 Harrow 45 22 14 10 1,600 533 275 180 
			 Havering 37 20 132 4 463 275 186 69 
			 Hillingdon 52 31 36 20 811 433 527 317 
			 Hounslow 89 48 0 0 1,506 923 0 0 
			 Islington 102 79 0 0 2,440 1,854 0 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 29 9 3 1 630 217 66 25 
			 Kingston upon Thames 29 27 18 14 594 520 387 283 
			 Lambeth 59 23 0 0 884 345 0 0 
			 Lewisham 31 13 0 13 429 223 0 280 
			 Merton 42 20 9 10 578 365 171 198 
			 Newham 113 73 22 0 1,404 572 255 0 
			 Redbridge 14 10 0 0 171 178 0 0 
			 Richmond 71 57 24 2 1,488 1,405 653 59 
			 Southwark 226 171 0 0 3,289 2,329 0 0 
			 Sutton 38 16 9 7 728 251 186 143 
			 Tower Hamlets 117 84 46 36 1,258 855 489 500 
			 Waltham Forest 53 39 23 21 1,028 863 647 846 
			 Wandsworth 89 86 38 42 1,747 1,651 796 930 
			 Westminster 52 32 16 23 1,029 644 335 498 
			  
			 Total 2,138 1,374 630 403 35,748 23,380 8,368 8,373

Heathrow

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what constraints exist on the development of (a) new and (b) improved rail links to Heathrow from the West.

Stephen Byers: The overriding constraint for new or improved rail services is the heavy traffic already using the Great Western and South West Trains lines around Heathrow. The Strategic Rail Authority is considering how a package of service changes could assist in serving Heathrow from the West.

Heathrow

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made as to the future demand for rail links to and from Heathrow from and through Berkshire;
	(2)  what plans exist to create new rail links to Heathrow from the west.

Stephen Byers: The Strategic Rail Authority is actively working with BAA on developing proposals for rail service improvements to Heathrow, including the possibility of new and improved links to the west. The SRA is sponsoring the train service demand forecasting phase of this work, which will include services from Heathrow to the west.

Rail Use

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is the estimated increase in use of (a) diesel trains and (b) electric trains, for passenger journeys over the lifetime of the 10-year plan.

Stephen Byers: The Government are committed to seeing a 50 per cent. increase in passengers over the next decade. No estimate has been made of a split between diesel and electric train usage.

Pollution

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what requirements must be satisfied by diesel rolling stock with regards to levels of (a) nitrogen oxide, (b) carbon dioxide and (c) noise emissions, for use on the UK rail network.

Stephen Byers: Railways are covered by the following:
	(a) policy on local air quality, including emissions of nitrogen oxide, is set out in the UK National Air Quality Strategy. In areas where the Air Quality Objectives will be exceeded from whatever source, the relevant local authority must draw up an action plan to meet the objectives. The levels of emissions along railway lines, however, meet the National Air Quality Strategy targets;
	(b) on carbon dioxide the Government's goal is for transport to reduce its overall impact on the environment thereby contributing to the United Kingdom moving towards a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. by 2010;
	(c) railway noise is covered by the Noise Insulation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations (1996), and, potentially, the Environmental Protection Act (1990).

Better Quality Services Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed.

Alan Whitehead: The Better Quality Services (BQS) programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet Office in the Modernising Government White Paper of 1999 as a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. It requires all Government Departments to review every activity and service over a five-year period starting in October 1999. The scheme covers all activities in Departments, agencies and executive non-departmental public bodies, and is similar in remit to the Best Value programme in local government.
	The review of the Department's activities and services under the scheme started in 1999. The central Department has completed 12 reviews to date and others are on-going. There are still 53 activities and services to review. Our agencies and executive non-departmental public bodies have their own programmes of performance review.
	Following an evaluation of the BQS scheme in September 2001, the management of the scheme by the Cabinet Office ceased. However, experience has shown that BQS is a useful management tool, particularly in examining central corporate management functions. Departments have therefore been encouraged not to discontinue its use simply as a result of central co-ordination ceasing, but to consider its use alongside other management tools, as appropriate.

Council Tax Arrears

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2000, Official Report, column 84W, regarding rent and council tax arrears in England and Wales, for what reason his Department does not provide information on council tax arrears by local authority in England.

Alan Whitehead: The Department does not at present collect information from local authorities on the level of council tax arrears, and so individual figures are not available. National estimates of the level of council tax arrears are derived from the results of a voluntary survey that is carried out each year by the Institute of Public Finance. These estimates were given in my answer of 4 March.
	The Department is giving active consideration to collecting this information for future years.

Salaries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03.

Alan Whitehead: The estimated cost in 2001–02 of the pay increase to staff in the Departments agencies and the non-departmental public bodies is given in the table.
	
		
			   £ 
		
		
			 Central Department 5,000,000 
			   
			 Agencies  
			 Driving Standards Agency 1,240,000 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 5,600,000 
			 Fire Service College 140,000 
			 Highways Agency 1,300,000 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 1,000,000 
			 Planning Inspectorate 780,000 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 40,000 
			 Rent Service(14) 180,000 
			 Vehicle Inspectorate 1,930,000 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 75,000 
			   
			 Non-departmental public bodies  
			 Audit Commission(15) 3,000,000 
			 English Partnerships(16) 164,000 
			 Health and Safety Executive 4,000,000 
			 Housing Action Trusts 201,000 
			 Housing Corporation 740,000 
			 Local Government Commission(17) 63,000 
			 Northern Lighthouse Board 347,000 
			 Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England and Wales 12,000 
			 Strategic Rail Authority 278,000 
			 Trinity House Lighthouse Service 735,000 
		
	
	(14) For the Rent Service the cost cannot be given in full as the 2001–02 pay increase for two of the agency's three pay bargaining units have not yet been agreed. The cost was £180,000 for the pay increase for the pay bargaining unit which has been agreed (covering administrative staff who transferred to the agency from local authorities in 1999).
	(15) The Audit Commission's financial year ends on 31 October.
	(16) English Partnerships is a national body for regeneration and development bringing together the Urban Regeneration Agency and the Commission for the New Towns for which details of the cost of the pay increase is provided.
	(17) The Local Government Commission's responsibilities were transferred to the Electoral Commission on 1 April.
	Note:
	The Standards Board for England (a new NDPB) was created on 1 February and will seek the first pay increase for its staff during 2002–03.
	The Department is unable to provide these costs for 2002–03 as the pay increases for that year have not yet been agreed.

Environmental Targets

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what environmental targets have been set by the EU with regard to transport provision in the UK over the course of the 10-year plan.

Stephen Byers: The European Commission recently set out its proposals for the future direction of transport policy in its White Paper, 'European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide' (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/wpr/ 2001/com2001–0370en.html). No environmental targets regarding transport provision have been set by the EU at member state level.

Motoring Charges

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the list of local authorities that (a) are planning to introduce congestion or work place parking taxes and (b) have expressed interest in introducing such taxes.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 15 April 2002
	The Mayor has announced his congestion charging plans for London. I am considering a draft scheme order from Durham county council for a road user charging scheme in the historic core of the city of Durham.
	No other local authority has yet undertaken formal public consultation on proposals for a road user charging or work place parking levy scheme.

Renovation Grants

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what account is taken of (a) other family support and (b) the financial means of any manager of the property when means testing (i) landlords and (ii) tenants of a property who are applying for a renovation grant;
	(2)  what facilities exist for local authorities to provide loans to people for renovation of their property;
	(3)  under what circumstances a tenant can refuse to allow grant-aided renovation to a property to be carried out, if it has been applied for by the landlord;
	(4)  under what circumstances people are eligible for local authority renovation grants.

Stephen Byers: The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 requires that where an applicant for a renovation grant is a tenant or owner occupier then he is subject to a prescribed means test. This test requires that if any such applicant is receiving voluntary help from a third party towards meeting general living expenses, such as food, clothing, fuel for heating and local taxes, then this support, other than the first £20 of any such regular payment, is treated as part of an applicant's income for the purpose of the means test.
	The Act also specifies that a tenant can only qualify for a renovation grant if he is required by the terms of his lease to carry out the relevant works. In these circumstances no regard is paid to the financial means of the property manager. Local authorities have discretion to decide the level of grant they should make available to a landlord but are required to have regard to the extent to which the landlord is able to charge a higher rent for the premises following the completion of works.
	Local authorities presently have powers under the Housing Act 1985 to give loans at commercial interest rates for private sector housing renewal.
	Landlords have a right of access to property they have let to carry out repairs where the works are necessary to maintain the property in the condition under which it was agreed to be let. Where the works are such that they would improve the condition of the property beyond that under which it was agreed to be let, then the tenant may refuse access to carry out such works unless a right of entry for that purpose is specifically reserved in the tenancy agreement.
	Under the 1996 Act, local authorities currently have discretion as to whether they should make grants available in their area, but they may make such grants to landlords, owner-occupiers and tenants with a repairing obligation in their lease. The principal purposes for which grants may be paid are for making a dwelling fit, putting a dwelling into reasonable repair, providing home insulation or heating facilities, providing satisfactory internal arrangements or conversions. Grants may also be made for the cost of radon remedial works.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  how many rails are listed as defective and in need of replacement;
	(2)  what the average time taken was to replace a rail once it has been identified as defective in the last 12 months; and in what way defective rails are prioritised for replacement;
	(3)  how many rails were identified as defective in each of the last five years; and how many of these (a) were replaced before they broke, (b) broke and (c) have yet to be replaced.

Stephen Byers: These are matters for Railtrack, the Office of the Rail Regulator and the Health and Safety Executive. My Department does not hold such information.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what investment has been made as part of the 10-year plan for improved detection techniques of broken rails.

Stephen Byers: As part of the Periodic Review, the Rail Regulator has provided for £150 million of expenditure over the current control period to fund Railtrack's target of reducing the number of broken rails.

Railways

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what factors can lead to rails breaking.

Stephen Byers: Many factors can cause rails to break. These are not only matters of the metallurgy, manufacture and maintenance of the rails themselves, but are also strongly influenced by the volumes of traffic, the design of the vehicles running over the track and the quality of maintenance of those vehicles. The industry's Wheel Rail Interface System Authority (WRISA) is investigating all aspects of this complex technical interaction.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 16 April 2002
	My Department does not use smart cards at present although a contactless magnetic card is used for buildings entry in London and elsewhere. We are considering the use of a single smart card with encryption for identification of individuals for access to and authorisation of a range of e-services and buildings access. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will be issuing smart cards as part of the EU-wide "Smart Tachograph" project. DVLA is reviewing other uses for a personal smart card such as a driver licence possibly with other identification-based applications such as travel rights within the EU.
	We are sponsoring pilot card projects in local authorities as part of the local government on-line programme and a number of LAs and passenger transport executives are using local transport plan funds for smart card schemes in transport particularly for ticketing. We have sponsored the development of card standards for transport so that as far as possible applications can be interoperable between different LAs and PTEs to ensure seamless travel and through ticketing. We may launch other initiatives once the Office of the e-Envoy has issued its smart card policy paper.
	It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of discussions with private individuals or companies. However Departmental officials have been involved in a number of discussions with companies, either individually or at meetings of organisations such as the Transport Card Forum or the Integrated Transport Smart Card Organisation, as part of the planning for the projects noted above.

Tropical Hardwoods

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he gives transport undertakings concerning the use of tropical hardwoods in renewing and repairing infrastructure.

Alan Whitehead: The Department's policy, contained in the Greening Operations Policy Statement is to provide advice to those transport undertakings for which the Department sponsors on Government policy aims and best practice in relation to timber and other environmental issues. This is done by forwarding all the latest guidance to these bodies.

Comfort Letters

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 512W, on comfort letters, when the notification period will now end; for what reason the customary notification period was not initially provided; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the Minute from the DTLR concerning London Underground PPP letters of comfort that was laid before Parliament on 20 March. A copy is available in the Libraries of the House. The notification period will now end 14 parliamentary sitting days from 20 March.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implications of paragraph 24, section 3.1 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02) for the timing of state aid to Railtrack in administration;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the implications of paragraph 48 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02) as it relates to the Government's ability to extend state aid for Railtrack in administration beyond 7 October;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on section 3.1, paragraph 23, subsections b and d of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02) as it relates to Railtrack in administration;
	(4)  what assessment his Department made of the implications of paragraph 24, section 3.1 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02) before it took the decision to provide financial support for the Network Rail bid for Railtrack;
	(5)  if the stipulation in paragraph 51 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02) prevents Network Rail from receiving state aid to purchase the assets of Railtrack in administration.

David Jamieson: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The Secretary of State has had full regard to the implications of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty as it relates to Railtrack in administration and any financial support to be provided to Network Rail if its bid for Railtrack plc is successful. The Government's guarantee of commercial borrowing by Railtrack plc is consistent with section 3.1, paragraph 23, subsections b and d of the Guidelines.
	Rescue aid under these guidelines can be extended beyond the initial period of six months in duly substantiated exceptional circumstances (paragraph 24). If the administration of Railtrack plc is likely to continue beyond 30 September 2002 clearance for an extended period of aid would be sought from the European Commission, either as an extension of the existing clearance or as a separate notification if more appropriate.
	If the Network Rail bid were to be successful in accordance with the timetable as currently projected the Government guaranteed loans to Railtrack plc (in administration) would be reimbursed in full before 30 September. Any state aid granted to Network Rail would be notified separately. The Government will ensure that any aid provided to Network Rail is compatible with the provisions of the EC treaty in particular Article 73 and Article 86(2).

Deep-sea Ports (Freight)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the average length was of the onward journey for freight arriving in deep-sea ports, destined for the UK that was taken to its destination by (a) road, (b) rail, (c) a combination of road and rail and (d) short sea shipping in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what percentage of freight leaving deep-sea ports by road was later transferred on to the rail network in the last 12 months;
	(3)  what percentage of freight (a) carried to and (b) carried from deep-sea ports, went by (i) road, (ii) rail and (iii) sea in the last 12 months.

Stephen Byers: The information is not available in the form requested.

Trans-european Network

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what conditions projects must satisfy in order to be eligible for funding from the EU trans-european transport network budget.

Stephen Byers: General rules for the granting of community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks are set out in Council Regulation (EC) 2236/95.
	The Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (Decision No. 1692/96/EC) sets out the objectives projects must pursue. Annexes I and II to that Decision illustrate the network by way of maps and set out for each mode of transport the project eligibility criteria and specifications.

Sea Shipping (Freight)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the environmental costs associated with the sea shipping of freight.

Stephen Byers: My Department is in the process of assessing relevant scientific and economic evidence on external costs including environmental from a number of sources in the UK and elsewhere. This assessment is part of a review of values to be used in considering freight facility grants.

Road Signs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the aesthetic impact of road signs and markings.

Stephen Byers: Traffic signs and road markings have to attract the attention of road users in order to fulfil the purpose for which they are provided, but local traffic authorities have a statutory duty to take account of the effects on amenity when installing signs and markings at particular locations. Chapter 7 of the Traffic Signs Manual, published in 1997, gives guidance on designing signs so as to produce aesthetic as well as functional designs.

Ballast Water

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made as to the contamination caused by the release of ballast water by ships; and what guidelines exist as to the (a) location and (b) frequency with which ballast water should be released.

Stephen Byers: With relation to oil, the MARPOL Convention has contained requirements for the segregation of ballast water from cargo oil in tankers constructed after 1983. Since August 1999 the seas around the UK and out to the west of Ireland have had Special Area status under the MARPOL Convention; this means a total prohibition on the discharge of any cargo-related oil which may be entrained with ballast water.
	Joint Nature Conservation Council, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department have conducted studies in a number of ports to identify the presence of non-indigenous organisms, some of which are thought to have been introduced via ships' ballast water. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has urged ships to follow the IMO's guidelines on ballast water management practices to reduce the risk of introducing non-indigenous species. The agency has issued a Marine Guidance Note on the matter. The UK continues to play a leading role within the International Maritime Organisation to develop mandatory requirements.

Windows

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what climatic factors were taken into account by the Government in proposing the standards for new windows insulation under S.I. 440.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 19 April 2002
	S.I. 2002/440 requires, among other things, that members of the Fenestration Self-assessment Scheme, who seek to self-certify their work, must comply with the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations (S.I. 2000/2531 as amended by S.I. 2001/3335). These regulations apply in England and Wales. Guidance on achieving compliance in relation to window insulation standards is given in Approved Documents L1 and L2. The standards given in the guidance have been derived using Meteorological Office data for winter temperatures in the UK, and in particular how often ambient temperature falls below a pre-determined level.

Humber Bridge Board

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans his Department has to address the levels of debt accumulated by the Humber Bridge board.

John Spellar: The debt owed to the Government is subject to an agreement with the Humber Bridge board dated 29 March 1972, this agreement was supplemented by a further agreement made 1 July 1998.
	The 1998 agreement includes a provision for reviewing the debt by 1 September 2002 and at five yearly intervals thereafter.

Planning System

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he has taken to prepare a statutory definition of the purpose of the planning system; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Byers: In response to the Green Paper "Planning: delivering a fundamental change", a number of bodies have suggested that there should be a statutory purpose for the planning system. My officials have written to a range of organisations seeking views on this proposal.

Concessionary Travel

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what the estimated cost is to his Department of supporting the half-fare concession bus pass in 2002–03;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the cost of providing concessionary travel for men aged 60 to 64;
	(3)  what estimate has been made of the cost of providing a free transport concession to all pensioners.

Sally Keeble: Government support for local authorities' concessionary fares scheme is met through general grant. The Local Government Finance Settlement 2002–03 increased general grant in the current financial year by 5 per cent. on a like for like basis. Local authorities are responsible for decisions on their spending priorities bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities and the wishes of their electorate.
	Estimated total expenditure on concessionary travel schemes on all transport modes in England is about £504 million. Of this we estimate that some £443 million is for travel for pensioners and disabled people on local bus services, including schemes that are more generous than the statutory half-fare requirement. We have no separate figures for the cost of half-fare travel on buses.
	It is estimated that the additional cost of providing concessionary travel for men aged 60–64 on all modes will be £50 million per year.
	We have no estimate for the cost of providing free transport for pensioners. However we estimate that the additional cost of providing free travel on local bus services for pensioners and disabled people would be in the order of £300 million per year.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for the financial year 2002–03.

Adam Ingram: The key targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) for the financial year 2002–03. The targets build upon progress made by the agency since it formed on 1 April 1997, and are set against three main groupings as follows.
	Delivery of service
	To make 99.9 per cent. of all pay payments by the due date (excluding late payments caused by events determined to be outside the control of the agency).
	To make 100 per cent. of all pension payments by the due date (excluding late payments caused by events determined to be outside the control of the agency).
	To keep the error rate within 1 per 1,000 for payments of pensions.
	To keep the error rate within 1.5 per 1,000 for payments of pay and allowances.
	To respond to all pay, pension, records of service and manpower inquiries in accordance with the requirements of each service level agreement (SLA) and emerging customer service agreements (93–96 per cent. within 10 working days).
	Service enhancement
	To deliver minor change in accordance with agreed programs and major change in accordance with individual project plans to implement approved policy aspects of the modernisation agenda (95–98 per cent. over the planning period).
	Efficiency
	Reduce the unit cost by 12 per cent., over a four year period, for delivery of core pay and personnel administration. Consistent with this the agency will target a 3.5 per cent. saving in year 2002–03.

Gibraltar

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the MOD facilities in Gibraltar; what the future of the MOD facilities in Gibraltar under the Brussels Process is; and what arrangements have been made under the Brussels Process for the continued use of military facilities in Gibraltar by UK forces in the event of a 'yes' vote in the referendum

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence maintains a wide range of facilities in Gibraltar, including HM Naval Base; RAF Gibraltar; the Royal Naval hospital; ammunition, fuel and stores depots; a training area; maritime exercise areas; communications facilities; sport and recreational facilities; St. Christopher's school; and accommodation for service and civilian personnel. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe told the House on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 451, the United Kingdom will retain full control over the British military base in Gibraltar.

Beaufort Trench (Mustard Gas)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much mustard gas is stored in the Beaufort trench; and what recent assessment has been carried out to determine the health risks associated with the site.

Lewis Moonie: Detailed inventories of chemical weapons and other munitions disposed of in Beaufort's Dyke are no longer available; many records were destroyed after the disposals as a matter of routine custom and practice in view of the fact that sea dumping of munitions, including CW-filled items, was then an acceptable method of disposal. Where records of disposals do remain in existence, they have been released to the Public Record Office. From those existing records, it is known that some 14,500 tons of 5 inch artillery rockets filled with phosgene were dumped in Beaufort's Dyke in July 1945. There are no records which indicate that other chemical weapons, including mustard gas, have been disposed of to that dump site. As to the potential risk posed by chemical weapons, the long-held consensus of international scientific opinion is that munitions on the sea bed present no significant risk to safety, human health or the marine environment, provided they remain undisturbed.
	Phosgene is destroyed by hydrolysis on contact with seawater. The surveys of Beaufort's Dyke conducted by the then Scottish Office in 1995 and 1996 found no residual traces of chemical weapons in that dump site. A copy of the 1996 report by the Scottish Office, entitled 'Fisheries Research Service Report 15/96'. which confirms the findings of the surveys, is available in the Library of the House.

Heavy Lift Aircraft

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent (a) representations he has received from the NATO Secretary-General and (b) discussions he has had with his European counterparts concerning the possibility for European countries to come together in order to obtain a fleet of C-17s and C-130Js to fill the gap until their orders for the A400M come forward; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Transport aircraft are one of the capability shortfall areas which European Union member states have identified in the European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP). The shortfall is primarily in outsized transport aircraft (larger than a C130). An ECAP panel led by the UK is looking at a number of possible options for member states to address this.
	Progress against the ECAP is discussed regularly by EU Defence Ministers, most recently at the informal meeting in Zaragoza on 22–23 March. As capability improvements achieved through the ECAP also benefit NATO, there are regular contacts with the NATO Secretary-General on this topic.

Sentry Duty (Edinburgh Castle)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with representatives of the armed forces regarding the removal of the traditional sentry duty of Edinburgh castle.

Adam Ingram: Such decisions are quite rightly a matter for the local army commander. In this case, the decision to withdraw the traditional sentries from continuous duty at Edinburgh castle between April and September was taken by the General Officer Commanding, 2nd Division, after due consideration. The hon. Member should note however that castle guard will continue to be mounted during state ceremonial occasions during the summer months.

Sentry Duty (Edinburgh Castle)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations the Government have received regarding the decision to remove the traditional sentry duty of Edinburgh castle.

Adam Ingram: The General Officer Commanding 2nd Division has received a number of letters and pre-printed coupons, cut from an Edinburgh evening newspaper, seeking reinstatement of the sentries. He has also received a letter from Sarah Boyack, a Member of the Scottish Parliament. I too have received a copy of Ms Boyack's letter and I will be replying to her shortly.

Sentry Duty (Edinburgh Castle)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costs associated with the traditional sentry duty of Edinburgh castle were in the last 12 months.

Adam Ingram: The direct costs of mounting the sentries at Edinburgh castle are in the order of £84,000 each year. The indirect cost is the fact that the soldiers concerned are not available for military training or other duties. These costs cannot be readily quantified.

Sentry Duty (Edinburgh Castle)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Government have made of the impact the traditional sentry duty of Edinburgh castle has on (a) morale of army soldiers and (b) army resources.

Adam Ingram: Soldiers acting as sentries at Edinburgh castle are aware that they have no guarding or security role, and this is not conducive to good morale. In terms of resourcing, providing these sentries throughout the summer months is a heavy drain upon the single battalion which is available for public duties in Scotland and, as such, represents an inappropriate use of highly trained military manpower.

Nuclear Weapons

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to provide the figure for the total number of operational nuclear warheads in the United Kingdom's stockpile; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In line with the policy set out in the Strategic Defence Review, we have fewer than 200 operationally available warheads. It would not be in the interests of national security to be more precise than this, and I am therefore withholding the information sought under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The right hon. Member may like to note that the United Kingdom is widely agreed already to be the most transparent country in the world about its holdings of nuclear weapons.

Falkland Islands

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance he is giving to South Atlantic veterans to visit the South Atlantic to mark the 20th anniversary of the recapture of the Falkland Islands.

Adam Ingram: It is not the Government's policy to provide assistance in the form of free or subsidised travel for veterans who wish to attend commemorative events overseas, and there is no provision in the Defence budget for such expenditure. The one exception is the war widows pilgrimage scheme operated on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by Remembrance Travel, the pilgrimage department of the Royal British Legion, which enables widows of servicemen who died while serving overseas in or before 1967 to visit their husband's grave once at a reduced rate.

Falkland Islands

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he is making to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the recapture of the Falkland Islands.

Adam Ingram: The Falkland Islands authorities are planning a series of events later this year, culminating in a cathedral service in Stanley on Liberation Day, 14 June. The armed forces will take part in a tri-service parade with each of the services represented and the Royal Marines will provide a band. I will visit the Falkland Islands at this time and will attend the cathedral service on behalf of the armed forces.

Service Personnel

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) army personnel, (b) navy personnel and (c) RAF personnel are (i) assigned to operations, (ii) training for operations, (iii) recovering from operations and (iv) training for their assigned role; and what the percentage is of each service in each case.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 April 2002, Official Report, column 1019–20W. The table shows the total number and percentage of trained service personnel deployed on military tasks at home and abroad. This includes personnel deployed on operations (e.g. in Afghanistan) and ongoing commitments (e.g. in the Falkland Islands), but excludes those personnel undertaking public duties.
	
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Navy (including Marines) 5,707 15.3 
			 Army 23,440 23.2 
			 Air Force 6,324 12.9 
		
	
	The remaining data requested are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, we estimate that around 5–6 per cent. of trained service personnel are either preparing for, or recovering from, deployments on military tasks.
	Those service personnel not accounted for in the above figures are engaged in a wide range of other activities, including collective and individual training.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Israel in respect of its failure to implement in full United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have called for an immediate and full Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian towns in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1402. The Foreign Secretary most recently stressed our concerns to Israeli Foreign Minister Peres in a telephone conversation on 15 April. We have called on both parties to implement UN Security Council Resolutions 1397, 1402 and 1403.

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his current estimate is of the quantity of (a) nuclear weapons and (b) chemical weapons possessed by Israel.

Ben Bradshaw: Any such estimate would be based on sensitive intelligence sources. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.
	We regularly call upon Israel to resolve international concerns about its nuclear status by acceding to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state.
	Israel is a state party to the 1925 Geneva Protocol which prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons. It has also signed, but not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling and retention of chemical weapons. We continue to urge Israel to ratify the convention whenever an appropriate opportunity arises.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received the UN Secretary General's report to the Commission on the Status of Women on discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan (E/CN.6/2002/5 dated 24 January); and what action he will take to ensure the recommendations are implemented.

Ben Bradshaw: We have received the UN Secretary General's Report to the Commission on the Status of Women on discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan (E/CN.6/2002/5 dated 24 January). We welcome its recommendations. At the UN, the UK co-sponsored a Consensus Resolution on women and girls in Afghanistan (E/CN.6/2002/L.4/Rev.2) approved on 25 March, which urges the Interim Administration to undertake a series of steps aimed at improving the quality of life for women.
	As stated in my reply of 28 February to my hon. Friend, Official Report, columns 1638–39W, we have always said that the restoration of human rights, including women's rights, will be key to the establishment of stable systems of government in Afghanistan.
	We welcome the role that women are playing in the Afghan Interim Authority, both in the Interim Administration and on the Loya Jirga Commission. While the form of any future Afghan Government is for the Afghan people to decide, we expect that women will be involved.
	On reconstruction, our projects have always involved women and this will continue in the recovery and rehabilitation process. The involvement of women in projects, and use of expertise on gender issues will help to ensure that the rights of women are promoted—particularly recognising the complexity of gender issues in Afghanistan.

Mr. Salah Zanie

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 21 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Salah Zanie.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend's letter crossed with the Secretary of State's letter of 20 February. A further copy will be sent and I apologise for any confusion caused.

East Timor

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British Government were informed that East Timor was to be taken over by Indonesian-backed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The British Government were of course aware of reports of Indonesian involvement in East Timor ahead of the invasion in 1975, but the situation was far from clear and reports were difficult to verify. In the absence of any British representation in the area, HMG had no independent means of doing so. The UK deplored the Indonesian invasion and did not recognise the incorporation of East Timor into Indonesia.

Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) the date and (b) the outcome was of meetings his Department has held with representatives of the (a) Portuguese, (b) Indonesian, (c) Australian and (d) New Zealand Governments concerning the deaths of Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters; and what matters were discussed.

Ben Bradshaw: Ministers and officials have regularly discussed this case with representatives of other Governments. Full details of the significant number of meetings could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	The British Government continue to take an active interest in the events surrounding the deaths of Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters and will raise our concerns with other Governments at every appropriate opportunity.

Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indonesian Government in relation to Yumus Yosfiah and the deaths of Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters.

Ben Bradshaw: Ministers have regularly raised this case with the Indonesian authorities. The most recent discussion took place in Jakarta in August 2001 when I met the Indonesian Attorney-General.

Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations transitional administration in East Timor in relation to Yumus Yosfiah and the deaths of Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters.

Ben Bradshaw: I have discussed this case on a number of occasions with Sergio Vieira de Mello, Head of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. I did so most recently when we met in London in October 2001.

Ministerial Meetings (President Kostunica of Serbia)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met President Kostunica of Serbia; and what was discussed.

Denis MacShane: FRY President Kostunica visited the UK on 28–29 November and had an audience with Her Majesty The Queen. He also met my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary, and the Secretary of State for International Development. The Foreign Secretary held a meeting with Foreign Minister Svilanovic.
	The Government underlined their support for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's development as a democratic state and partner in Europe. The FRY needed to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and send a clear message to Bosnian Serbs that their future lay in Bosnia. Continued positive FRY engagement in Kosovo was necessary, as was a resolution of the constitutional position of Montenegro. Further internal reforms were needed, including in the FRY Army.

Macedonia/Kosovo Border

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments on the Macedonia/Kosovo border.

Denis MacShane: The situation on the Macedonia/ Kosovo border is stable. A demarcation agreement was signed between the Federal Yugoslav and Macedonian Governments in February 2001. UNMIK and the Macedonian authorities have established a joint committee to agree working arrangements to allow farmers access to their land and to relax Macedonia's visa regime for Kosovo citizens in possession of UNMIK travel documents.
	The UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), in conjunction with the Macedonian authorities, have taken action against organised crime and extremism, confiscating arms and ammunition and detaining suspected traffickers.

Complaints

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints were registered against his Department in (a) 1990 to 1996 and (b) 1997 to 2002; how many are current; and what proportion were (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in those periods.

Jack Straw: holding answer 19 April 2002
	Information on the number of complaints registered and that are current is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, information on the outcome of statutory investigations that were concluded between 1990 and 1996 is set out in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Reports. Copies of the Annual Reports covering the period specified are available in the Library.
	Information on the proportion of complaints taken up and upheld by Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration between 1990 and 1996 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Between 1997 and 2002 69 complaints were taken up by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. Of these, 44 were either rejected or discontinued and 10 were informally resolved. In the remaining 15 cases, where a full investigation was carried out, the PCA found that three complaints were justified, 10 partly justified and two not justified.
	Complaints received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are handled in line with FCO complaints procedure, details of which are publicised on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk.

Voluntary Sector (Funding)

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January 2002, Official Report, columns 1185W-86W on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if he will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which (a) his Department and (b) the Westminster Foundation for Democracy distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations.

Jack Straw: holding answer 19 April 2002
	The FCO may award grants to both national and international voluntary sector organisations from its Conflict Prevention Fund, Human Rights Project Fund, Economic Recovery Fund, Environmental Projects Fund and other funds administered by specific geographical or policy Departments. Individual projects are assessed for awards against criteria based on the FCO's aims and objectives.
	Decisions on support for projects made by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy are made by their board, drawing on the advice of the FCO.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 724W, on Zimbabwe, if he will make his substantive reply.

Jack Straw: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. James Purnell) on 19 April 2002, Official Report, column 1208W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Non-departmental Public Bodies

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what have been the total salary costs of each of the non- departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: The salary costs of the Equal Opportunities Commission can be found in the annual report and accounts for the years in question up to 2000–01. Copies are held in the Library.
	The Cabinet Office currently has 12 advisory NDPBs. Information on the salary costs of these NDPBs is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Family-friendly Working Practices

Julie Morgan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent action he has taken to encourage family-friendly working practices in the civil service with special reference to the weekly hours worked.

Christopher Leslie: Over 14 per cent. of civil servants (some 60,000 staff) now work a flexible hours pattern.
	Officials in the Cabinet Office have been working in partnership with Departments and consultants on work-life balance issues over the last 12 months.
	Projects have been undertaken with the Inland Revenue and Department of Trade and Industry and guidance is being produced for Departments and agencies. These will address issues of particular concern to part-time staff in the Civil Service Diversity Survey:
	'A Managers' Guide to Flexible Working'; and
	'A Compendium of Best Practice for Work Life Balance'.
	These guides are currently in working draft with Government Departments and will be available on the Cabinet Office Diversity website (www.diversity-whatworks.gov.uk) in autumn 2002.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the functions of his Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Christopher Leslie: In the last five years no Cabinet Office functions were outsourced.
	In that period COI outsourced the following:
	COI Picture Library
	(i) cost saved £32,000 per annum
	(ii) 100 per cent.
	COI Film and Video Library
	(i) cost saved £148,000 per annum
	(ii) 100 per cent.
	Pensions Administration
	(i) cost saved £10,130 per annum
	(ii) 45 per cent.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the policy of the Department is for ensuring responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 are completed within 40 days; and what their procedure is to achieve this.

Ian McCartney: The Department's policy is to reply to all subject access requests as soon as possible and in any event within the 40-day mandatory deadline. The 40 days do not start "ticking" until sufficient information is received from the data subject to satisfy the data controller [DWP] as to the identity of the data subject making the request and to enable him to locate the information that they are seeking.

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out for each civil service grade within his (a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies the (i) total number of staff employed, (ii) number aged (A) 16 to 25, (B) 26 to 35, (C) 36 to 45, (D) 46 to 60 and (E) over the age of 60 years, (iii) number of registered disabled and (iv) number of ethnic minorities.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Leslie) on 13 March 2002, Official Report, column 1072W.

Verification Framework

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what has been the cost of setting up the verification framework; and what assessment has he made of the costs to local authorities in excess of central Government funding;
	(2)  what have been the costs of setting up and implementing the verification framework; what are the costs of operating the verification framework; and what information he holds about the shortfall in funds from central Government; and what information he has collated about the costs of local authorities in setting up and operating the verification framework.

Malcolm Wicks: The verification framework (VF) was introduced in May 1998 and aims to tighten the gateway onto housing benefit and council tax benefit. It does so through a set of defined standards for collecting and checking evidence before a claim can be paid and during the lifetime of the claim. From April 2002 the VF has been separated into three modules allowing authorities to introduce the scheme incrementally.
	Authorities who apply to join the scheme receive a one-off payment as set-up funding and funding to continue operating once they become fully compliant with the scheme module or modules that they have chosen.
	Details of total sums spent to date are in the table.
	In August 2000, a number of local authorities already compliant with the VF took part in a departmental survey 1 of the cost to local authorities of setting up and running the framework. The results of the survey indicated that implementation and operating costs vary considerably between local authorities, so it is not possible to provide a generalised estimate of the costs for local authorities.
	
		Amount spent on set-up and continuing costs for the verification framework -- £000
		
			   Set-up costs Continuing costs 
		
		
			 1998–99 4,900 580 
			 1999–2000 15,465 13,662 
			 2000–01 3,484 20,898 
			 2001–02 7,244 31,338 
			 Total to date 31,093 66,478 
		
	
	Notes
	1. 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 data obtained from published departmental accounts.
	2. 2001–02 data obtained from departmental housing benefit/council tax benefit administrative payments system.
	3. The data does not account for costs repaid after the close of the relevant financial year.
	1 Cost of the Verification Framework, DSS Operational Research, Analytical Services Division 2A, published April 2001.

Child Support

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate when the Child Support Reforms New Rules Implementation computer system will (a) have completed full systems testing, (b) be fully operational, (c) deal with new cases assessed under the new formula and (d) deal with existing cases which are transferred onto the new formula;
	(2)  who has been awarded the contracts for the (a) development, (b) systems testing and (c) maintenance of the Child Support Reforms New Rules Implementation computer system;
	(3)  if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) percentage of non-resident parents who (i) fully comply, (ii) partially comply and (iii) do not comply with the CSA maintenance assessments.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 14 March 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to this House by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 20 March 2002, Official Report, columns 315–16.

Employment Zones

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal job accounts have been established as part of the Employment Zone scheme since its introduction in April 2000.

Nick Brown: The personal job account is the amount spent on a participant in step 2 of the Employment Zone process. Step 2 is the stage at which a costed action plan, developed in step 1, is implemented and the participant undertakes their concentrated jobsearch.
	Between April 2000 and January 2002, 46,399 Employment Zone participants had moved from step 1 to step 2.

Employment Zones

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers have been provided with (a) mobile phones, (b) driving lessons and (c) financial assistance to buy a motor vehicle as part of (i) the Employment Zone initiative and (ii) the Action Teams for Jobs scheme.

Nick Brown: The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Higher Education

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discretion local Benefit Agency offices have to discount the availability of student loans when assessing income support for part-time students pursuing higher education courses.

Malcolm Wicks: Since a student loan is intended to help towards everyday living costs it is taken into account as income. However, before the weekly income is assessed, £319 of the annual loan is disregarded towards the cost of travel and £260 towards the cost of books and equipment. In addition, any grants made specifically for these costs are disregarded in full. Once the weekly loan income has been calculated a further £10 a week is disregarded.
	Local offices do not have any discretion to discount student loans as income when assessing entitlement to any income-related benefit. However as part-time students generally receive an annual loan of £500, which is below the amounts allowed for travel, books and equipment, the loan will normally be disregarded in full.
	If a student loan is available, it is taken into account regardless of whether it has been applied for or received. If a loan is not available, a student must provide evidence to that effect.

Pension Credit

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what will be the average gain per person for pensioners benefiting from the new pension credit;
	(2)  what advice is available to pensioners about the pension credit and how it can be accessed;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the benefits of the new pensioner credit for people in Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland;
	(4)  what impact will the new pension credit have on pensioners receiving housing and council tax benefits;
	(5)  how the savings credit element of the new pension credit will operate.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the booklet, "The Pension Credit: the Government's proposals" which sets out how pension credit will work. A copy is available in the Library.
	Subject to successful passage of the State Pension Credit Bill, pension credit will be introduced in October 2003. About 4.1 million pensioner households (over 5 million pensioners) will be eligible. On average they stand to gain around £400 a year.
	Pension credit will ensure a guaranteed minimum income for those aged 60 and over so they need not live on less than £100 a week (£154 a week for pensioner couples). It will also ensure that pensioners no longer lose a pound in their benefit for every pound of pensions or other savings they have built up. From age 65 pension credit will give pensioners a cash addition of 60p for every £1 of income they have above the level of basic state pension up to a maximum of £13.80 week (£18.60 a week for couples). Pensioners with incomes up to £135 a week (£200 a week for couples) will benefit.
	The housing benefit and council tax benefit schemes will be modified at a cost of £450 million a year to ensure that people who gain from pension credit do not lose those gains because of knock-on effects. As a consequence, almost 1.9 million pensioner households will be entitled to more help, or entitled to help for the first time, with their rent or council tax from October 2003.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Employment Service IT Partnership by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Nick Brown: The savings to public funds were estimated to be £64 million (net present value) over the 10 year life-span of the contract with Electronic Data Systems. These savings were based on the comparison of the estimated costs of continuing to provide the service in-house and were forecast on the basis of planning assumptions known at the time the contract was let.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Private Finance Initiative projects have been subject to refinancing after the contracts have been signed; and what has been the financial effect in each case.

Nick Brown: None.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who had to make a claim for the 2001–02 winter fuel payment; and of that number how many failed to do so by 31 March.

Ian McCartney: For winter 2001–02, an estimated 500,000 people became newly entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment. At least 255,00 of these people were paid automatically.
	Exact numbers of people who need to claim are not available. However, by the deadline of 30 March, around 220,000 claims forms have been received. It is up to the individual to choose whether to claim.

Jobcentre Plus

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to transfer responsibility for the administration of local authority benefits to Jobcentre Plus offices.

Malcolm Wicks: We are encouraging Jobcentre Plus and local authority managers to build on the framework of liaison and service level agreements that already exist. This will help to ensure the efficient administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, which is so important for many of the people using our services, not least in helping the transition to work.

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people employed by the non- departmental public bodies for which he is responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits.

Ian McCartney: The Department sponsors 11 non- departmental public bodies. Of these, only four employ people. The Disability Rights Commission, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and the Pensions Ombudsman employ around 430 people between them. Many of these have been employed because of their particular expertise in their field. Remploy employs over 10,000 people, the majority of whom are disabled people in supported employment.
	None of these bodies has employed anyone under the New Deal for Young People in the last four years.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Special Advisers

Simon Burns: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many times special advisers have accompanied Ministers on overseas visits in each of the last five years; which countries were visited; and what the total cost of each individual visit was.

Rosie Winterton: Since May 1997, the expert adviser for the Lord Chancellor's Department has accompanied a Minister overseas only once. On that occasion the Lord Chancellor, a senior Departmental official, the expert adviser, and a private secretary went to Brussels on official business. The total cost of the visit for the whole party was £1,670.00. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Parliamentary Questions

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, 
	(1)  what the cost was to her Department of answering written parliamentary questions in 2001; and how that cost was calculated;
	(2)  how many staff were involved in each of the last three years in preparing draft answers to written parliamentary questions.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the President of the Council and the Leader of the House on 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 929W.

Staff Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what have been the total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The answer covers the Legal Services Commission and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
	Salary costs for staff working in the Legal Services Commission are set out as follows. The figures include overtime payments, but exclude social security and pension costs, and have been subject to audit.
	1997–98—£24,310,000
	1998–99—£25,563,000
	1999–2000—£25,240,000
	2000–01—£28,775,000
	2001–02—£32,859,000.
	The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) came into existence in April 2001. Salary costs for 2001–02 totalled £37,021,259.

Census Information

John Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on Government policy relating to publication of census information, with special reference to information contained in the website at http://learningcurve.pro.gov.uk/ FocusOn/census/what is/intro.htm printed on the census forms for England and Wales; and what action the Public Record Office has taken to amend the information published on its website.

Rosie Winterton: The specific reference is to the PRO's Learning Curve website, which is an on-line teaching resource, structured to tie in with the History National Curriculum from Key Stages 2 to 5. Its investigation "Focus On . . . The Census" is intended to encourage schools to consult census material. At one point it states "To encourage people to provide the correct details, the Government has always guaranteed that any personal information will not be made available to the public for 100 years."
	This statement compresses into a single sentence the various assurances which Governments have provided about the confidentiality of census returns at different times. Early census schedules assured individuals that the information collected from them would be published in "General Abstract only" and would not be used for "the gratification of curiosity". Although the precise wording has differed for each census, all assurances given on the forms have been to the effect that information would be kept confidential. In 1966, under Section 5(1) of the Public Records Act, the Lord Chancellor signed Instrument 12 which closed the decennial censuses for 100 years.
	The PRO has now amended the wording on the Learning Curve website in order to increase its clarity.

Government Funding

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) of 25 January 2002, Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if she will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which the Legal Services Commission distribute funding to voluntary sector organisations.

Rosie Winterton: The Commission funds not for profit organisations in three ways. First it pays not for profit organisations under contract to deliver legal aid services to the public by means of the Community Legal Service Fund. This accounts for most of the payments to the not for profit sector.
	Second the Commission pays grants to not for profit agencies in order to improve the delivery of legal aid services, for example by offering training and support to providers or developing standards to underpin new forms of service.
	Third under the Partnership Innovation Budget (PIB), which was launched on 8 May 2001, the Commission makes grants on a joint funding basis with other Community Legal Service partner organisations. This scheme helps meet local needs with innovative services that do not fit within current funding mechanisms.

Data Protection Act

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to amend the Data Protection Act 1998.

Michael Wills: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 188W.

PRIVY COUNCIL

Voting Procedures

Norman Baker: To ask the President of the Council if he will propose changes within the House to allow abstentions to be recorded.

Robin Cook: No.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list companies and organisations taking part in the United Kingdom's greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	34 organisations entered the scheme as direct participants and bid in the auction, held in March 2002.
	It is expected that the number of participants will increase later this year as nearly 6,000 companies with Climate Change Agreements who can chose to use the scheme to meet their targets, or sell any over- achievement, start to participate.
	The 34 Direct participants are:
	Asda Stores Ltd.
	Barclays Bank plc
	Battle McCarthy Carbon Club
	Blue Circle Industries plc
	British Airways plc
	British Sugar plc
	BP plc
	Budweiser Stag Brewing Company Ltd.
	Dalkia plc
	Dana UK Holdings Ltd.
	Dupont (U.K.) Ltd.
	EGNI (Wales) Ltd.
	First Hydro Company
	Ford Motor Company Ltd.
	General Domestic Appliances Ltd.
	GKN (U.K.) plc
	Imerys Minerals Ltd.
	Ineos Fluor Ltd.
	Kirklees Metropolitan Council
	Land Securities plc
	Lend Lease Real Estate Investment Services Ltd.
	Marks & Spencer plc
	Mitsubishi Corporation UK plc
	Motorola GTSS
	The Natural History Museum
	Quantum Gas Management
	Rhodia Organique Fine Ltd.
	Rolls-Royce plc
	Royal Ordnance plc
	Shell UK Ltd.
	Somerfield Stores Ltd.
	Tesco Stores Ltd.
	UK Coal Mining Ltd.
	WatesGroup.

Cluster Munitions

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what Open Individual Export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of cluster munitions; and if she will provide the (a) number of cluster munitions exported, (b) category codes and (c) final end-use destination;
	(2)  what export licences have been granted since the introduction of the ELATE export licensing system for the export of cluster munitions; and what are (a) the number of cluster munitions exported, (b) the category codes and (c) the final end-use destination;

Nigel Griffiths: Licences issued covering cluster munitions are recorded on the ELATE database under ratings ML3 and ML4. These headings cover a range of other equipment including bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles as well as mine clearance equipment (as described on page 310 of the Government's annual report on strategic export controls for 2000). Cluster munitions are not recorded as a separate category in the annual report or on ELATE. For this reason, a breakdown by end use destination of the licences issued covering cluster munitions cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.
	The DTI's Export Control Organisation records details of licences issued and licences refused. We are reviewing how this information might be better collated.

Home Safety

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on what help is available to organisations for safer building and home safety from the modernisation fund.

Melanie Johnson: The DTI's consumer protection Modernisation Fund was launched early in 2001. To date we have earmarked £2.5 million to support local projects which offer practical home safety interventions. Many of the projects involve improvements to make homes safer such as stair handrails, child-proof window locks, home safety checks and installation of smoke alarms. In 2001–02 we supported 12 projects across the UK and provided support to strengthen the capacity of two national home safety charities, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Child Accident Prevention Trust. Applications for awards during 2002–03 closed on 15 February and I will announce the successful projects shortly.

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people employed by the non- departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits.

Patricia Hewitt: This information is not available. The Department's non-departmental public bodies do not monitor future employment or otherwise of people taken on under the New Deal for Young People.

Exports (Tanzania)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she was informed that British Aerospace had received down payments for the Tanzanian Air Traffic Control System prior to an export licence being granted; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: This information is commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part 2, Exemption 1 and 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Engineering Projects

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the projects undertaken by the Engineering Technology Board that her Department plans to support.

Brian Wilson: Discussions between the Department and the Engineering Technology Board about project support have not, as yet, reached this level of detail. There is agreement in principle that some support will be offered.

Draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what Government policy is on the financial impact on councils of the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive;
	(2)  what the Government's policy is on (a) individual company responsibility, (b) collective industry responsibility and (c) community responsibility through the general taxation system for costs of collection and recycling of waste equipment as required by the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

Brian Wilson: The UK's approach to the implementation of the directive will depend on the provisions of the directive when finally adopted.
	The Government will consult fully with all stakeholders on implementation options once the final text is available.
	In addition, a further regulatory impact assessment will be carried out to assess the financial and other impacts of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive on local authorities and other stakeholders. Where the costs of EU initiatives fall disproportionately on local authorities, the lead Government Department is responsible for fully funding those costs.

Draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact on the economic viability of (a) individual businesses and (b) defined business sectors from the implementation of the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the cost to UK business of the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

Brian Wilson: The Department submitted its updated Explanatory Memorandum and partial regulatory impact assessment of the proposal to both Houses on 15 March 2002. The regulatory impact assessment suggests that the costs to business lie in the range of £191 million and £391 million per annum in the UK.
	The European Commission's Explanatory Memorandum suggests that product price increases could be between 1 and 3 per cent. if the costs of the proposal were to be passed on to consumers. Under these circumstances, economic viability of businesses or sectors would not be significantly affected.
	Impacts on the economic viability of businesses or sectors will also depend on domestic implementation structures. The Government will consult all stakeholders while devising implementing legislation.

ITV Digital

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings she has had with representatives of (a) Granada plc and (b) Carlton Communications plc since ITV Digital's entry into administration.

Douglas Alexander: Neither I nor the Secretary of State have met representatives of (a) Granada plc and (b) Carlton Communications plc since ITV Digital's entry into administration, though DCMS and DTI officials are keeping abreast of the situation.

ITV Digital

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of ITV Digital's entry into administration on the Government's plans for digital television provision in the UK.

Douglas Alexander: The policies and targets which the Government have set for digital TV are not predicated on the actions of any one company. The Digital Television Action Plan sets out a wide range of tasks to be undertaken by Government and various stakeholders in order to achieve our aim for the UK to have the most dynamic and competitive market for digital TV in the G7, and to enable us to meet the criteria set for the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial transmissions. The action plan is kept under review so that it can be developed to reflect changes in the market.

ITV Digital

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has met representatives of ITV Digital since it entered administration.

Douglas Alexander: Neither I nor the Secretary of State have met representatives of ITV Digital since it entered administration, though DCMS and DTI officials are keeping abreast of the situation.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to set a minimum rate at which electricity companies may buy electricity from owners of solar panels.

Brian Wilson: I have no current plans to set a minimum rate for electricity purchased from owners of solar panels. In a liberalised electricity market suppliers can choose to offer special tariffs for electricity generated from renewable sources, and one or two are already offering equal tariffs for electricity generated from solar panels.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what incentives are available for people investing in solar energy.

Brian Wilson: The £20 million First Phase of the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme, which I announced on 26 March, offers incentives to a variety of people and organisations to install solar panels.
	Applications for individual systems of 0.5–5kWp will be accepted from householders, schools, community groups and SMEs on a rolling basis and 50 per cent. capital grant awards will be automatic, provided that the basic programme criteria are met. Applications for larger individual systems, or for multiple systems (e.g. from housing developers) will be considered on a quarterly competitive call basis. Grant levels will be subject to European Union State Aid rules and will vary from 65 per cent. for public bodies to 40 per cent. for private sector organisations other than SMEs.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what forecast she has made of the proportion of UK electricity generating capacity which will use solar energy in the next decade.

Brian Wilson: DTI energy projections cover installed capacity in the electricity supply industry (ESI), which is defined as major power producers and those 'industrial' generators using renewable sources of energy. Latest DTI 1 projections for the ESI show zero installed solar PV capacity to 2010.
	Installed UK solar PV capacity in building, non-building and off-grid applications was 1.95MW in 2000. Although no formal projections have been made about growth in this area, existing field trials and the First Phase of the Major PV Demonstration Programme (MDP) should add around 10–15MW of installed capacity over the next three years. This could rise to 200MW over the next decade if the full MDP is implemented.
	1 Energy Projections for the UK, DTI Energy Paper 68, "http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/energyprojections.htm"

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set a target for the installation of solar panels on domestic properties.

Brian Wilson: Under the £20 million First Phase of the Major Photovoltaics (PV) Demonstration Programme (MDP), which I announced on 26 March, there is a target for 3,000 domestic roofs to receive solar panels over the next three years. The Government will take a decision on whether to proceed with a second phase, and if so the appropriate target for the number of systems, in the light of progress achieved with the first phase.
	In addition, my Department's Domestic PV Systems Field Trial, which is already underway, should see PV systems installed on over 500 roofs by the end of this financial year.

Solar Panels

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated cost is of extending the enhanced capital allowances scheme for energy saving technologies to include (a) solar photovoltaics and (b) onshore and offshore wind; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Solar photovoltaics, onshore and offshore wind already benefit from the Renewables Obligation and exemption from the climate change levy. Except for onshore wind energy, which is already a competitive technology, they also benefit from substantial capital grants. We have no plans to extend enhanced capital allowances to these technologies.

Solar Panels

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated total value is of her Department's capital funding programmes to the UK solar PV industry in each year from 2001 to 2005 for (a) domestic, (b) commercial and (c) industrial applications; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The Domestic Field Trial is supporting the installation of PV systems on over 500 homes from 2001–03 with a budget of £5.4 million, and the Large- Scale Field Trial is supporting the installation of large PV systems on 18 non-residential buildings from 2002–04 with a budget of £4.2 million.
	In addition, the First Phase of the Major PV Demonstration Programme, which the Secretary of State launched on 26 March, will support the installation of PV systems on at least 3,000 homes and 140 non-residential buildings over the years 2002–05, with a budget of £20 million. The budget will be split roughly 2:1 in favour of domestic applications, and the split between commercial, industrial and other large non-residential buildings will be determined by a selection panel on the basis of proposals received in the quarterly competitive call process.

Pay Statistics

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average gap between men's and women's pay in (a) England and (b) the Buckingham constituency is.

Alan Johnson: (a) According to the 2001 New Earnings Survey (the latest data available), conducted by the Office for National Statistics, average hourly pay for full-time employees, excluding overtime, in England, was £12.18 for men and £9.90 for women, a pay gap of £2.28.
	(b) Estimates for the parliamentary constituency of Buckingham are not available. According to the 2001 New Earnings Survey, average hourly pay for full-time employees, excluding overtime, in the county of Buckinghamshire, was £13.82 for men and £10.33 for women, a pay gap of £3.49.

Universities (Companies)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies were spun out by universities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) England in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The Higher Education Business Interaction Survey shows that there were 220 spinouts in total from universities in England between August 1994 and July 1999, and 139 between August 1999 and July 2000.
	Individual institutions responded to the survey on a confidential basis, so I am not able to supply breakdowns by county.

National Business Debtline

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many calls the National Business Debtline has received (a) in total and (b) from businesses based in the Buckingham constituency in each year since its inception; and what the cost was in each year.

Nigel Griffiths: The table contains the information about the number of national callers and the number from Buckinghamshire.
	
		
			  Number of calls received:  
			 Period in which the calls were made Nationally From Buckinghamshire 
		
		
			 July to December 2000 2,497 8 
			 January to December 2001 5,933 34 + (18)146 = 180 
			 January to 11 April 2002 1,479 (18)195 
			  
			 Total 9,909 42 + (18)341 = 383 
		
	
	(18) These figures refer to south-east England and not only Buckinghamshire.
	We fund this pilot with £80,000 per annum and the banks provide an additional £102,000 per annum.

Tax Incentives

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Treasury regarding tax incentives for industries in areas of deprivation.

Alan Johnson: DTI and Treasury Ministers have had a range of discussions about tax issues, including tax incentives relating to deprived areas. In the Budget on 17 April the Chancellor announced the implementation of the Community Investment Tax Credit. He also announced that the Government will abolish stamp duty for all non-residential transfers in the UK's most disadvantaged areas, subject to EU state aids approval. The Budget also confirmed that the Government have committed £20 million to the Community Development Venture Fund, and that the Government remain confident that private investors will contribute a further £20 million.

Micro-renewable Technologies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policy measures, in addition to her Department's capital funding, have been introduced since 1997 to support the development of micro-renewable technologies in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: In addition to the general support for renewables provided by the Renewables Obligation and Climate Change Levy exemption, there have been a number of initiatives aimed specifically to encourage smaller projects.
	In February, I launched the Community Renewables Initiative to encourage community-based renewable energy projects, many of which are likely to be small.

Agency Workers

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to issue the discussion paper on legal issues relating to employment status; for what reason it has been delayed; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham on 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 443W. A discussion document is in preparation.

Agency Workers

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is towards the draft EU law on protection for agency workers; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The European Commission published a proposal for a directive on temporary agency workers in March 2002. We are currently studying the proposal to establish whether it protects agency workers without damaging the important contribution agency workers and agencies make to the labour market and to maintaining high levels of employment.

Employment Relations Act

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government have taken under section 23 of the Employment Relations Act 1999; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: None. We are in the process of undertaking a review of employment status issues pursuant to Section 23. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 443W.

Rural/Urban Definitions

Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definitions of (a) rural and (b) urban are used by her Department.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 22 April 2002
	My Department currently uses the broad definitions contained in the Rural and Urban White Papers. However, the Government recognises that there is a need for a more co-ordinated and consistent approach to the categorisation and use of definitions of urban and rural areas. For that reason DEFRA, DTLR, the Countryside Agency and the Office for National Statistics are working together towards a better set of definitions.

Energy Markets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 381W, on energy markets, what action her Department has taken since May 2001 in regard to bringing the benefits of market liberalisation to rural consumers.

Brian Wilson: The benefits of energy liberalisation have been extended to rural consumers. Research undertaken by OFGEM shows that 35 per cent. of gas customers and 32 per cent. of electricity customers in rural areas have switched supplier, compared with 38 per cent. of gas customers and 41 per cent. of electricity customers in urban areas. The differences in the rate of customer switching in rural areas are in part due to the inability of consumers in areas without mains gas to take up "dual fuel" deals.
	To address this, the Government have established a working group to look at issues surrounding extension of the gas network, as part of their Fuel Poverty Strategy. The group reported in November 2001 and its report was published on the DTI website http://www2.dti.gov.uk/ energy/gasnetworks/index.htm. The Government are considering how the report's recommendations can best be taken forward.

Energy Markets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 380, on energy markets, what her Department's definition of the term 'vulnerable consumers' is.

Brian Wilson: There is no definition of the term "vulnerable customers" in draft energy market liberalisation legislation under discussion in the European Council and Parliament. Member States will therefore be free to define the term in any national implementing legislation. The definition used in the UK for the purpose of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy is as follows: "vulnerable households are those at risk of ill-health from cold conditions—older householders, families with children and households who are disabled or suffering from a long-term illness".

Energy Markets

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 380W, on energy markets, if it is the UK Government's policy not to take a position on individual European Parliament amendments that are not included in the European Commission's revised text.

Brian Wilson: The UK Government do not take a position on individual European Parliament amendments not included in the Commission's revised text. Approximately 500 amendments to the internal market legislation currently under discussion were tabled by MEPs, around 150 of which were accepted in the European Parliament's Plenary vote. It is now up to the Commission to decide which amendments to accept and to present these to the council in a revised text. It would be pointless to take a position on every amendment as the majority of them will not appear in the revised Commission proposal.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 19 March concerning correspondence from an engineering firm in Walsall.

Brian Wilson: I have answered today.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Public Appointments

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 717W, on public appointments, what information he receives on possible appointees to non-departmental public bodies prior to their appointment; and what method his Department uses to notify people of their appointment to a non-departmental public body.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 18 March 2002
	The procedures for making appointments to non-departmental public bodies are governed by the rules set out in the Code of Practice published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). This includes a requirement for each applicant to complete an application form. As well as information relevant to the specific appointment, application forms request information on ethnicity, gender and disability for monitoring purposes. The OCPA Code also requires Departments to ask all applicants to supply information on any political activity in which they have engaged in the five years prior to application.
	Successful applicants receive a letter of appointment. Details of appointments to public bodies are published in press releases at the time of appointment and in the annual report of the non-departmental public body. Details of all appointments to Home Office non-departmental public bodies are published in the Home Office annual report, copies of which are placed in the Library.

Departmental Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed.

Angela Eagle: The Home Department is unable to provide the level of detailed information sought on contracts and contract costs. Records are not held centrally and to collate and maintain a central register of contracts awarded across the Home Office and its agencies would incur disproportionate costs.

Private Medical Insurance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98; what the total cost is; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 6 February 2002
	The Civil Service Management Code prohibits Departments and agencies from providing staff with private medical insurance. Remuneration for the employees of non- departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is a matter for the non-departmental public body (NDPB) concerned and its sponsoring Department, subject to any statutory provision, but information about these arrangements in Home Office sponsored NDPBs is not collated centrally.

Asylum Seekers

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often in the last three years, and for what purpose, his Department has applied the special urgency provisions in paragraph 22 of circular 18/84 (Development by Government Departments).

Angela Eagle: holding answer 15 April 2002
	I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 567W.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03.

Angela Eagle: Costs for 2002–03 are not known as the pay increase for 2002–03 has not yet been agreed. The estimated cost of the pay increase for 2001–02 at the time of the settlement was as follows:
	Core Home Office: £8.57 million.
	Agencies
	Prison Service: £32.1 million.
	Forensic Science Service: £1.3 million.
	United Kingdom Passport Service: £1.7 million.
	Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs)
	Community Development Foundation: £0.003 million.
	Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority: £0.12 million.
	Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel: £0.036 million.
	Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner: £0.035 million.
	Police Complaints Authority: Not applicable 1
	Police Information Technology Organisation: £0.6 million.
	Youth Justice Board: £0.09 million.
	1 The Police Complaints Authority's staff are on loan from numerous departments and remain on their parent department's payroll and pay settlement dates.

Prisons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) independent custody visitors' groups and (b) lay observers' panels published annual reports in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 7 March 2002, Official Report, column 514W.

Prisons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to improve links between prisons and voluntary sector organisations.

Beverley Hughes: The Prison Service is committed to developing and strengthening its relationship with voluntary and community organisations at all levels. For this reason a national Voluntary Sector Co-ordinator (Jo Gordon) was appointed in January 2001. She organised a series of regional consultation events, bringing together staff and volunteers from voluntary and community groups with Prison Service staff. A strategy "Working with the Voluntary and Community Sector" based on ideas and information from the consultation process was published in December 2001. This sets out recommendations for the development and better management of relationships with voluntary and community groups. A Prison Service Order based on the strategy will be issued to establishments in May 2002.
	Further work in hand includes:
	a guide on volunteering in prisons (which will be a companion to the "Guide to Good Practice for Voluntary and Community Organisations Working with Prisons", which was produced jointly with the CLINKS organisation last year);
	an induction pack for voluntary and community sector staff and volunteers new to working in prisons;
	"Get Linked, A Guide to Community Links", produced in partnership with the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Nacro), which will have a specific focus on building links with black and minority ethnic voluntary and community groups;
	a national conference in June 2002 to bring together voluntary and community groups with prison staff and representatives from other criminal justice agencies to review the progress made so far and help plan future developments.

Prisons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the key performance target is for the improvement of prisoners' basic literacy and numeracy skills in the financial year 2001–02.

Beverley Hughes: The target for 2001–02 is for prisoners to achieve 18,000 awards at level 2 for basic skills.

Secondments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many BP employees are on secondment to his Department; for what purposes; on what terms; and how many BP employees have been on secondment to his Department since January 2000.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 25 March 2002
	For the periods in question no staff were seconded from BP to the Home Department.

Public Consultation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new steps his Department took in 2001–02 to consult the users of its services about their wishes and expectations; and if he will publish the findings.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Home Department greatly values input from all our users especially with regard to the services we provide. Feedback is used to inform and influence proposals for change, develop services further, improve initiatives and identify best practice.
	Regular checks are made to ensure that services the Home Office provides meet the expectations of their users and we are always looking at ways to improve customer care. The Criminal Records Bureau, for example, used a range of research techniques in 2001–02 such as seminars and customer fora to get a clear picture of customer attitudes and requirements so that they can cater more precisely to those needs.
	The United Kingdom Passport Service regularly issues questionnaires to its customers as a means of tracking customer satisfaction and ran both personal caller and customer awareness surveys last year. The Forensic Science Service has introduced a new approach to monitoring customer satisfaction and will continue to publish the outcome of their biennial customer satisfaction survey in their annual report due to be published in July 2002. The Immigration and Statistics Service, in conjunction with the National Asylum Support Service, consulted asylum seekers about their experiences of the voucher scheme. A report of the findings was published in 2001 and the fieldwork findings will be available on the Home Office website from 8 April 2002.
	Increasing use is made of Home Office websites to request comments or feedback and 'Contact Us' facilities and feedback forms have been introduced.
	Formal consultation exercises are another important way in which the Home Office seeks the views of its customers. Consultation documents are now made available in a variety of formats in order to make it easy for users to respond. Details of all Home Office consultations published in 2001–02 can be found on our website on http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/atoz/consult papers.htm.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target for completions of accredited offender behaviour programmes in prison will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target for completions of accredited offender behaviour programmes for sex offenders will be met;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the PSA target for the number of prisoners participating in treatment programmes will be met by March.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The relevant public service agreements (PSA) performance target is that the Prison Service should increase the number of completions of accredited offending behaviour programmes from 3,000 to 6,000 by the end of 2001–02, including an increase from 680 to 1,100 in those completing sex offender treatment programmes.
	The Service also has a key performance target (KPT) of ensuring 5,000 entrants per year to drug treatment programmes by March 2002.
	Final outturns will be known by the end of April 2002.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible; and if the target was met.

Angela Eagle: Details of performance and efficiency targets agreed between executive non-departmental public bodies and their sponsor departments, and performance against these targets are available in each individual body's annual report. All annual reports are presented to Parliament and copies placed in the Library. The majority of bodies have also posted recent annual reports on their websites.

Drugs

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been made available to the Metropolitan police force to combat the use and supply of illegal drugs in each of the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: Within the police force grant, there is not a ring-fenced allocation for combating the misuse of drugs.
	The Metropolitan Police Service has received the following drugs funding, which is in additional to their mainstream budget, specifically used to tackle the supply and misuse of illegal drugs: for arrest referral workers and for treatment for the financial years 2000–01 to 2001–02, £869,214 for workers and £708,480 for treatment in 2000–01, and £869,214 for workers and £708,480 for treatment in 2001–02.
	In 2001–02, £7.5 million was made available to London boroughs from the Communities Against Drugs (CAD) fund, at the start of a new three-year funding programme, a share of which goes to the police. Prior to this, the Metropolitan police was awarded £3.5 million after a successful bid for funding for drugs-related schemes from Targeted Police Initiatives, which was a three-year programme that ended at the start of April 2002.

Drugs

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the use and supply of crack cocaine in the Greater London area.

John Denham: The use of crack cocaine in London is of major concern to both the Government and the police. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Commissioner (Sir John Stevens) have discussed it at their periodic meeting. Additionally officials from this Department have met regularly with the Metropolitan police to discuss this and other issues, especially in connection with the Metropolitan police's current review of its operations and policy.
	My right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) and I have also met Commander Brown of the Metropolitan police who heads Operation Trident.

Relocation

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to relocate executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies under the remit of his Department to Scotland.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 April 2002
	A number of Home Office executive agencies and non- departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have offices in Scotland. These include the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, the Forensic Science Service and the United Kingdom Passport Service.
	NDPBs and agencies are free to decide their location in the light of their business needs, but I am not aware of plans for any Home Office agency or non-departmental public body (NDPB) to relocate to Scotland.

Robbery Reduction Initiative

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the Communities Against Drugs Initiative will be used to finance the Robbery Reduction Initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Communities Against Drugs (CAD) funding is provided to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to tackle the impact that drugs has on particular communities. Partnerships will want to consider how CAD and the Robbery Initiative might support each other.

Television Licences

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) number and (b) total cost of television licences paid for by his Department.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The number and total cost of television licences for the Home Department are as follows:
	Number of television licences138
	Total cost of television licences15,042.00.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for Fazakerley (Altcourse) prison by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for Quantum for HM Prison Service by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for Lowdham Grange prison by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for prisons energy (Tranche 1) by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for (a) Marchington prison, (b) Onley prison, (c) Agecroft prison (Forest Bank) and (d) Pucklechurch prison by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the private finance initiative contract for Bridgend (Parc) prison by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative.

Beverley Hughes: Public sector savings under the private finance initiative are calculated by comparing the net present value (NPV) of the project against a public sector comparator (PSC), as shown in the table.
	The overall value of the Quantum contract, which took effect from July 2000, as estimated in the final business case, is approximately 200 million. However, this excludes the value of future business change developments. Against estimated internal prison costs, the estimated cost saving in cash terms is 190 million over the 12 year life of the contract. The net present value of this saving, discounted at 6 per cent. discount value, is 128 million.
	
		 million 
		
			 Contract Public sector comparator Net present value Savings 
		
		
			 Altcourse (Fazakerley) 248 247 1 
			 Ashfield (Pucklechurch) 141 122 19 
			 Dovegate (Marchington) 292 241 51 
			 Forest Bank (Agecroft) 234.5 204.5 30 
			 Lowdham Grange 157 127 30 
			 Parc (Bridgend) 319 266 53 
			 Rye Hill (Onley) 209 154 55 
			 Heat Energy Services(19) 29 25 4 
		
	
	(19) Tranche 1

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the 2002 Departmental report will be published.

Angela Eagle: As my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Andrew Smith) said in his answer on 15 April, the 2002 Departmental Report for the Home Office will be published in spring 2002. The exact date will be announced shortly.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Angela Eagle: The following Bills introduced by the Home Office in the last five years contained sunset clauses:
	(i) The Football (Disorder) Bill introduced in the Session 19992000.
	(ii) The Terrorism Bill introduced in the Session 19992000.
	(iii) The Criminal Justice and Police Bill introduced in the Session 20002001.
	(iv) The Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill introduced in the Session 200102.
	(v) The Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Bill introduced in the Session 200102.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Blunkett) will consider whether a sunset clause is appropriate in the context of any future Bill.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prisoners who maintain their innocence and who refuse to attend a sex offenders treatment programme will be (a) denied parole and (b) have limited privileges.

Beverley Hughes: Refusal to participate in the sex offenders' treatment programme as a consequence of a prisoner maintaining his innocence is not of itself a bar to the release of prisoners on parole licence. An assessment of the prisoner's current level of risk is the pre-eminent factor in determining whether he/she may be granted parole. Offending behaviour programmes, such as the sex offender treatment programme, depend upon a prisoner being willing to discuss their offending. Therefore, such programmes are not open to prisoners who deny their guilt. Whilst the absence of reports on a prisoner's progress on such programmes makes it more difficult to make an assessment risk, it should still be possible to make one, taking into account, among other things, the prisoner's attitudes and behaviour during sentence.
	The criteria for earning and retaining privileges will depend on a number of factors, including attitudes to and involvement in sentence planning and a willingness to make constructive use of their time in custody. Where a prisoner refuses, for any reason, to address their offending behaviour this may be relevant when assessing a prisoner's privilege level and may be sufficient to deny a prisoner enhanced status.

Prisoners

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to reduce the number of prisoners in prison; and what precautions are being taken to ensure that prisoners do not commit further crimes under the electronic tagging programme.

Beverley Hughes: The Government believe that prison must be used as effectively as possible and targeted where it is most necessary. It should be used for incapacitating dangerous, violent and other serious offenders but prison sentences should be as long as necessary for punishment and public protection, and no longer.
	The reform of the probation service, with its central focus on reducing re-offending means that rigorously enforced community sentences are a real and tough alternative to imprisonment. As part of the work taking forward the recommendations of the Halliday report on the sentencing framework we are looking at new forms of community penalties. We aim to encourage greater use of community penalties for some non-violent offenders such as those convicted of theft and handling or fraud.
	We are addressing the recent increase in female prison population by taking forward the Government's strategy for female prisoners. A cross-Government women's offenders reduction plan is currently being developed by a multi-agency team drawn from across the criminal justice system, which is based in the Home Office.
	Home Detention Curfew and a rigorous assessment process plays an important role by enabling some prisoners to be released from prison, whilst still subject to restrictions placed on their liberty. This facilitates a smoother and more effective integration back into the community and helps offenders to secure employment as soon as possible.
	Prior to release under the Home detention Curfew arrangements, the Probation service undertakes a home circumstances assessment of every prisoner's release address to confirm that the proposed accommodation is suitable for the monitoring equipment, that other persons residing at the address understand the impact of the curfew and have been given the opportunity to raise any issues which they wish to be considered, and that there are no issues relating to victims which would give cause for concern if the prisoner were to be curfewed to that address. Following release, each curfew is offered an interview to discuss the curfew requirements and to offer advice on any resettlement arrangements, including providing contact or access to local support groups and a Probation Service 'helpline' contact.

Prisoners

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Prison Service's policy is on the evaluation and accreditation of psychological interventions for prisoners; and under what circumstances unevaluated projects are allowed to continue.

Beverley Hughes: The Prison Service's policy in relation to psychological interventions with prisoners is that these should be carried out in line with the standards for applied psychologists set by the British Psychological Society. Individual assessment and intervention work should be carried out under the supervision of a Chartered Psychologist.
	Group based interventions aimed at reducing the risk of re-offending are subject to scrutiny by a panel of Prison Service, Probation Service and external practitioners and academics with expertise in relevant areas of work. Members are drawn from a range of disciplines. Group based interventions involve an assessment of clinical impact and are also audited to assess the degree of compliance with agreed national standards.
	Group based interventions that have not been evaluated may be supported where they meet specific needs not addressed by currently available groups. However, the prison and probation services are committed to an evidence based practice approach, for both individual and group based interventions.

Prisoners

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made by juvenile prisoners to see the board of visitors in 2001, broken down by institution.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not held centrally.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the public service agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report.

Angela Eagle: The Home Office's public service agreement (PSA) targets are listed. These were set in the 2000 Spending Review. There have been no changes since the publication of the 2001 Home Office Departmental Report except those resulting from the Machinery of Government changes shown.
	PSA Target
	1. Reduce the key recorded crime categories of:
	Vehicle crime by 30 per cent. by 2004;
	Domestic burglary by 25 per cent. with no local authority area having a rate more than three times the national average, by 2005; and
	Robbery in our principal cities by 14 per cent. by 2005.
	2. Ensure by 2004 that the levels of fear of crime in the key categories of violent crime, burglary and car crime, reported in the British Crime Survey (BCS), are lower than the levels reported in the 2001 BCS.
	3. Reduce by 2004 the economic cost of crime, as measured by an indicator to be developed by March 2001.
	4. Disrupt 10 per cent. more organised criminal enterprises by 2004.
	5. Improve the level of public confidence in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) by 2004, including improving that of ethnic minority communities.
	6. Increase the number and proportion of recorded crimes for which an offender is brought to justice.
	7. Improve by 5 percentage points the satisfaction of victims and witnesses with their treatment by the CJS by 2002 and thereafter at least maintain that level of performance.
	8. Reduce by 2004, the time from arrest to sentence of other outcome by:
	Reducing the time from charge to disposal for all defendants, with a target to be specified by 31 March 2001;
	Dealing with 80 per cent. of youth court cases within their time targets; and halving from 142 to 71 days by 2002 the time taken from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders and maintaining that level thereafter.
	9. Reduce the rate of reconviction:
	of all offenders punished by imprisonment or community supervision by 5 per cent. in 2004 compared with the predicted rate; and
	of all young offenders by 5 per cent. in 2004 compared with the predicted rate.
	10. Maintain the current low rates of prisoner escapes including no Category A escapes.
	11. Reduce the proportion of people under the age of 25 reporting the use of Class A drugs by 25 per cent. by 2005 (and by 50 per cent. by 2008).
	12. Reduce the levels of repeat offending among drug-misusing offenders by 25 per cent. by 2005 (and by 50 per cent. by 2008).
	13. Ensure that by 2004, 75 per cent. of substantive asylum applications are decided within two months.
	14. Enforce the immigration laws more effectively by removing a greater proportion of failed asylum seekers.
	15. Make substantial progress by 2004 towards one million more people being actively involved in their communities.
	16. Promote race equality, particularly in the provision of public services such as education, health, law and order, housing and local government, and measure progress by the annual publication of Race Equality in Public Services, a set of race equality performance indicators across the public sector; and achieve representative work forces in the Home Office and its police, probation and prison services.
	17. Ensure annual efficiency gains by police forces are worth in total at least 2 per cent. of overall police spending in that year.
	18. Reduce the incidence of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20 per cent. averaged over the five-year period to March 2004 compared with the average recorded in the five-year period of March 1999. 1
	1 Following Machinery of Government changes, this target has been transferred from the Home Office to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

HEALTH

Mortality Rate

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have occurred in the Midlothian constituency since 1990.

George Foulkes: I have been asked to reply. 
	The information requested is not available in relation to the Midlothian parliamentary constituency. However, the number of deaths in the Midlothian local authority area (Midlothian District Council before 1 April 1996 and Midlothian Council since then) is as follows:
	
		
			  Males Females Persons 
		
		
			 1990 408 416 824 
			 1991 390 459 849 
			 1992 402 378 780 
			 1993 437 424 861 
			 1994 370 407 777 
			 1995 417 441 858 
			 1996 406 448 854 
			 1997 405 414 819 
			 1998 456 417 873 
			 1999 393 434 827 
			 2000 423 422 845 
		
	
	If my hon. Friend requires further statistical information on this matter, he may wish to approach the General Register Office for Scotland.

Visual Impairment

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has sent to the recent submission by the Improving Lives Coalition on priorities in health and social care for blind and partially sighted people.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 7 March 2002
	A major conclusion of Improving Lives was that large numbers of people who are eligible for registration as blind or partially sighted are not registered. We recognise this problem and the Department has set up a group to investigate ways to improve the way we notify and register sight loss. This group includes representatives of several members of the Improving Lives Coalition.
	We have also awarded the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) jointly a project grant to develop visual care standards based on Improving Lives.

Capacity

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available to each local health authority to increase capacity for the treatment of patients.

John Hutton: holding answer 7 March 2002
	In 200203 425 million has been earmarked to expand acute capacity, increase activity levels and reduce waiting. This is in addition to funding from general allocations which can be spent to deliver waiting times by agreement between primary care trusts (PCTs), health authorities (HAs) and NHS trusts and their partners locally. The earmarked funding will be used to:
	Expand local capacity by expanding diagnostic and treatment centres and/or buying into spare capacity in public or private services locally or nationally;
	Commission extra activity
	Pay for the consequential costs in community health and social care of this extra activity.
	In addition, capital funding of 179 million in 200102 and 329 million in 200203 for increasing activity and providing diagnostic and treatment centres was issued as part of general capital allocations. PCTs, HAs and NHS trusts and their local partners agree how the general capital allocation is spent.
	The heath authority total allocations and earmarked funding for capacity are given in the table.
	
		200203 HA total allocations and earmarked funding for capacity -- 000
		
			 Health authority  Total allocation Earmarked funding for capacity 
		
		
			 Bradford 414,737 4,306 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 480,687 4,986 
			 County Durham 540,526 5,649 
			 East Riding 474,977 4,816 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 332,463 3,391 
			 Leeds 6,28553 6,285 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 436,790 4,393 
			 North Cumbria 261,665 2,676 
			 North Yorkshire 566,781 5,931 
			 Northumberland 257,298 2,626 
			 Sunderland 268,228 2,702 
			 Tees 485,772 5,041 
			 Wakefield 277,810 2,848 
			
			 Barnsley 207,257 2,155 
			 Doncaster 259,726 2,634 
			 Leicestershire 682,748 7,262 
			 Lincolnshire 519,957 5,378 
			 North Derbyshire 300,013 3,056 
			 North Nottinghamshire 313,543 3,226 
			 Nottingham 519,138 5,408 
			 Rotherham 210,533 2,147 
			 Sheffield 477,104 4,777 
			 South Derbyshire 448,542 4,724 
			 South Humber 258,993 2,591 
			
			 Bedfordshire 414,926 4,484 
			 Cambridgeshire 525,529 5,529 
			 Hertfordshire 802,649 8,241 
			 Norfolk 611,615 6,346 
			 North Essex 668,052 7,002 
			 South Essex 554,308 5,876 
			 Suffolk 519,352 5,352 
			
			 Barking and Havering 333,897 3,421 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 725,055 7,604 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 635,109 6,180 
			 Brent and Harrow 432,599 4,293 
			 Camden and Islington 477,910 4,584 
			 Croydon 274,247 2,881 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 676,038 6,890 
			 East London and the City 702,986 7,391 
			 Hillingdon 203,317 2,063 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 436,168 4,787 
			 Kingston and Richmond 284,506 2,939 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 829,552 8,099 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 563,125 5,655 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 399,542 3,951 
			
			 Berkshire 588,572 6,340 
			 Buckinghamshire 493,959 5,264 
			 East Kent 521,292 5,226 
			 East Surrey 324,719 3,217 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 666,721 6,724 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 561,429 5,692 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 381,685 3,969 
			 Northamptonshire 429,544 4,450 
			 Oxfordshire 445,458 4,713 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 432,174 4,475 
			 West Kent 744,108 7,606 
			 West Surrey 485,877 4,835 
			 West Sussex 618,829 6,302 
			
			 Avon 774,501 7,987 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 416,197 4,213 
			 Dorset 582,186 5,874 
			 Gloucestershire 432,361 4,352 
			 North and East Devon 393,334 4,019 
			 Somerset 379,361 3,916 
			 South and West Devon 499,768 5,045 
			 Wiltshire 453,698 4,671 
			
			 Birmingham 900,062 9,196 
			 Coventry 267,745 2,773 
			 Dudley 241,721 2,491 
			 Herefordshire 130,657 1,347 
			 North Staffordshire 403,322 4,154 
			 Sandwell 268,794 2,757 
			 Shropshire 326,945 3,416 
			 Solihull 158,220 1,629 
			 South Staffordshire 421,814 4,406 
			 Walsall 217,042 2,256 
			 Warwickshire 381,972 3,909 
			 Wolverhampton 212,684 2,193 
			 Worcestershire 393,056 4,073 
			
			 Bury and Rochdale 332,127 3,413 
			 East Lancashire 461,132 4,700 
			 Liverpool 453,913 4,497 
			 Manchester 461,845 4,593 
			 Morecambe Bay 268,369 2,644 
			 North Cheshire 261,550 2,614 
			 North West Lancashire 424,129 4,276 
			 Salford and Trafford 407,159 4,076 
			 Sefton 254,961 2,481 
			 South Cheshire 531,913 5,382 
			 South Lancashire 247,205 2,509 
			 St. Helen's and Knowsley 310,547 3,171 
			 Stockport 231,170 2,390 
			 West Pennine 392,430 4,075 
			 Wigan and Bolton 494,170 5,193 
			 Wirral 297,121 2,920 
			
			 Total England 41,468,469 425,000

Ministerial Design Champion

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings the Ministerial Design Champion for his Department has attended in her capacity as Design Champion in the last month; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath) has recently replaced my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health (Yvette Cooper) as the Ministerial Design Champion for the Department of Health. He attended the last Ministerial Design Champion meeting on 17 January 2002 chaired by Lord Falconer and will be attending the next meeting on 22 May 2002.
	In his capacity as Ministerial Design Champion, Lord Hunt will:
	Deliver the opening speech at the Primary Healthcare Design conference 1 May 2002. This conference has been organised by CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) and The Kings Fund regarding the value of quality design in producing a healing environment, to an audience made up of key decision-makers from Primary Care Trusts.
	Deliver the keynote address at the Health Facilities Management Association (HEFMA) annual conference 23 May 2002. This will provide the Minister with an opportunity to further raise the profile of design excellence to an audience of facilities decision-makers who are charged with delivering services at Trust level.
	Work closely with the NHS and Architectural bodies, personally mentoring two projects being Walsall Design Exemplar and a South Manchester Primary Care Trust development.

Mixed Sex Wards

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex wards there are at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Patients at Broomfield Hospital, part of Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, are treated on wards that are divided into single-sex bays containing four or six beds. All wards have separate toilet and bathroom facilities for male and female patients.
	As part of the plans for the development of Broomfield Hospital, the Trust is planning to have single gender wards.
	The Trust is aware of the need to maintain the privacy and dignity of patients at all times and places great emphasis on the need to segregate male and female patients.

Learning Disability Strategy

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made for the publication of the annual report to Parliament on the implementation of the Learning Disability Strategy, with specific reference to the use of the Learning Disability Task Force and the occurrence of Learning Disability Week annually in June.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 March 2002
	Section 62 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 requires my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament annually a report
	containing such information as he considers appropriate with respect to the development of health and social services for persons with learning disability. I have agreed that the Learning Disability Task Force should report to me annually on its work overseeing the implementation of the proposals in the White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century published in March 2001.
	I am currently considering how the timing and presentation of these two reports can best reflect recent developments in the provision of learning disability services.

Public-private Partnerships (Consultants)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 280W, which listed the total external spend on private finance initiative consultancy work from 1998 to date.

NHS Treatment (Travel Costs)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place to provide assistance with the costs of travel to hospital for NHS treatment to residents of the Isle of Wight in receipt of (a) income support and (b) jobseeker's allowance.

Hazel Blears: The hospital travel costs scheme, part of the NHS low income scheme, provides financial assistance for patients in receipt of a qualifying benefit, for travel to hospital for NHS treatment under the care of a consultant. Income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance are qualifying benefits for the hospital travel costs scheme. The scheme provides full or partial reimbursement of travel costs throughout England.

Hearing Aids

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the sites which will have the necessary training and equipment in place to fit digital hearing aids provided through the NHS contract from 200304.

Jacqui Smith: I announced the sites which will be joining the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project this financial year on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 465W. We will shortly be approaching all those trusts not currently involved in the project to invite them to put themselves forward to receive the training and equipment necessary to prepare them to join the project after April 2003. An announcement will be made in due course.

Hearing Aids

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts (a) provide digital hearing aids and (b) will be fitting digital hearing aids by the end of 200203.

Jacqui Smith: The following 20 trusts are currently providing digital hearing aids as part of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project.
	Addenbrookes NHS Trust
	James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust
	Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital
	Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust
	Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust
	Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust
	Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust
	Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust
	Royal United Bath Hospital NHS Trust
	United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust (Children)
	Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
	East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust
	Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust
	Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust
	Queens Medical Centre University NHS Trust Nottingham
	The Kings Mill Centre for Healthcare Services NHS Trust
	Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Trust (Children)
	University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust
	Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals NHS Trust.
	In addition an announcement was made on 10 April of those trusts who will be joining the project this financial year, 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 465W.
	We know that a number of other trusts are obtaining digital hearing aids through the NHS contract and that others are providing digital aids outside of that contract. Full details are not available centrally.

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Health Authority

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected overall cost is of locating the headquarters of the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Health Authority at York.

Jacqui Smith: The cost incurred in provisionally locating and establishing the Strategic Health Authority (StHA) HQ for North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire is for the rent of two offices in the York Science Park for February and March 2002. This will be approximately 3,500. This is the Project Office for the Strategic Health Authority pending a discussion about its permanent location.
	On 20 March 2002, the StHA shadow Board discussed the option appraisal and work in progress to produce an outline business case for a permanent location. It was unanimously agreed that appropriate criteria had been used to inform the option appraisal on the location of the StHA and that the decision made by the Chairman and Chief Executive (Designate) that the York Science Park be the permanent location, was supported. Formal consideration of the outline business case was part of the first StHA Board meeting on 18 April 2002.

National Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 1037W, on national care standards, what estimate he has made of the costs (a) per establishment and (b) per room of the implementation of the regulatory impact assessment for adult placements; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 March 2002
	The environmental standards for adult placements reflect the domestic nature of these placements and represent a lighter touch approach to regulation for this sector. We expect the implementation cost to be minimal. The costs of implementing environmental standards for adult placements was covered in the overall totals set out within the Regulatory Impact Assessment for Care Homes placed in the Library on 21 January 2002.

Police Checks

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to resolve the difference between the National Minimum Standard 29.3 in respect of police checks and the regulations giving effect to the standard.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 March 2002
	Regulation 19 of the Care Homes Regulations sets out the requirement that a satisfactory Criminal Records Check must be received by a provider before he may employ someone to work in the home. Standard 29.3 can be interpreted to mean that a care worker could be offered a job subject to receipt of a check. It is not intended to imply that people can be employed prior to receipt of that check which is prohibited by regulation.

Government Information

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the administrative manuals and internal guidance which his Department has made public as required by Part 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; and which of these were first made available after May 1997.

Hazel Blears: Information on a large number of administrative manuals and internal guidance already exists in the public domain on the Department of Health internet site at www.doh.gov.uk and in particular in the:
	Publications on the internet site (POINT) at www.doh.gov.uk/ publications/pointh.html, and
	Circulars on the internet site (COIN) at http://www.doh.gov.uk/ publications/coinh.html
	Work is in hand to identify significant gaps and meet the code provisions in full in preparation for the issue by November 2002 of a publication scheme, as required under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Failing Hospitals

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the appointment of new managers to failing hospitals will be decided; what system of assessment was used to rate those hospitals with a no star rating; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Twelve national health service trusts were categorised as zero-star rated. The system of rating used to assess their performance in 200001 was published in September 2001. The 12 trusts are required to provide action plans setting out how they are going to achieve the level of performance improvement required. Each of the action plans were assessed by the Department at the end of 2001 together with the level of performance improvement achieved by each of the trusts since the ratings were published. Where appropriate the Department additionally used the progress reports provided by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).
	Following the assessment it was decided that five of the trusts should be made subject to franchise arrangements. The performance of the remaining seven trusts is being closely monitored to ensure that their action plans are successfully delivered. Support will continue to be provided, where required, by the Modernisation Agency.
	The process to appoint new managers under franchising arrangements is underway. Candidates have been invited to apply if they are experienced national health service managers with a good track record for delivery. They are being shortlisted for specific national health service trusts, taking into account their expressed preferences and individual skills. Shortlisted candidates are being given a month to draw up a franchise plan.
	A register of interest from non-national health service bodies will be in place by the summer so that future franchises can draw on a wider pool of expertise and experience.

Adult Protection

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocation of (a) staff and (b) cash resources has been given to each police force in England for the referral of cases of adult abuse under the No Secrets guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2002
	The local implementation of the 'No Secrets' guidance is unlikely to have significant resource consequences for local police forces and therefore no additional resources have been allocated.

User Consultation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new steps his Department took in 200102 to consult the users of its services about their wishes and expectations; and if he will publish the findings.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	A programme of National Health Service trust-based patient surveys began in January this year, with all acute hospital trusts carrying-out a specially designed survey which seeks the views of a randomly selected group of patientsabout 500 in each trust. This will become an annual survey. The main areas covered include; admissions, nature of the hospital ward, staff attitudes, care  treatment (pain management etc), leaving hospital and how the patient feels after their experience.
	The acute survey results will be used to:
	(i) inform the national NHS performance ratings, ensuring that patient experience is a key element in determining the ratings given to trusts
	(ii) feedback directly to trusts, where service improvement programmes will pick up on the findings of the survey and will then be used to deliver year on year quality improvements. Here, it is envisaged that, the new 'patient prospectus' (to be distributed to local communities this autumn onwards), will be an important vehicle to convey the survey findings to staff and the public. Then, through the liaison of the Trust board and (subject to legislation) the new 'Patient Forum', an action plan will be established which takes forward the issues identified, and outlines how real improvements to the quality of the patient experience will be delivered within the trust. At the national level, a survey of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients reported during year 2000, (fieldwork having taken place during 1999). The survey looked at the quality of NHS care for both inpatients and day patients treated for CHD. The results were published on the Department's website and fed back to participating trusts, thus providing a national overview of patients' opinions of their treatment. A further national surveylooking at the experience of cancer services patients, was carried out in 2001 and will report later this year to individual trusts, the 'cancer networks' and via the website. A general practitioner patient survey is also taking place this year (began January '02). As with the acute IP survey above, this will inform both the national performance ratings in the summer, and improve the quality of primary care/GP services, via feedback to all existing primary care organisations, so that appropriate actions can be taken. Next year (reporting 2003) a more specialised survey will be devised to better relate to the comprehensive range of primary care trust-based services.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible; and if the target was met.

Hazel Blears: The information sought is available in the annual reports and accounts of these bodies, which are available in the Library.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the target to reduce by 20 per cent. by 200102 the number of absences by staff caused by violence will be met.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department conducted a survey of sickness absence, accidents and violence in national health service trusts in England in 199899. The survey found that there were approximately 65,000 violent incidents against NHS trust staff recorded each year. A further survey of recorded violent incidents in 200001 has been conducted, and the figures are currently being analysed by the Department. The figures will be published as soon as the Department is satisfied the figures are sufficiently robust and reflect NHS trust mergers and other organisational changes in the NHS. The 200001 figures will form the baseline for measuring progress against the Government's national improvement targets.
	Information on levels of sickness absence resulting from violence at work is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by individual national health service employers.

Overtime

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department.

John Hutton: The policy of the Department is to recompense staff who work more than their contracted hours either by payment of overtime or by giving time off in lieu of the hours worked. Overtime is not paid to Senior Civil Servants and other senior managers.

PFI/PPPs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the north-west and west central community units for the elderly for the Leeds Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the rationalisation of in-patient services for the South Manchester University Hospital NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for single site development for the South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle for the North Cumbria Acute Hospital NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Bromley NHS TrustNew Hospital for the Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Bishop Auckland redevelopment for the South Durham Health Care NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(8)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the new hospital for the North Durham Health Care NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(9)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the acute general hospital development for Dartford and Gravesham hospital by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(10)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Mancunian Community TrustPrimary Care for the Mancunian NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(11)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Barnet hospitals for the Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(12)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Calderdale Redevelopment for the Calderdale Healthcare NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(13)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Worcestershire new hospital for the Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(14)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Wycombe and Amersham developments for the South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(15)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich for the Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 11 March 2002, Official Report, columns 833-34W and of 22 November 2001, Official Report, columns 411-13W in which are listed all the major private finance initiative contracts that have reached financial close since May 1997, with figures for the projected savings on each.

PFI/PPPs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for PPP contracts let by his Department in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 25 March 2002
	To collect this information for all contracts let by NHS trusts other than for the major PFI schemes would involve disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 19 April 2002, Official Report, column 1245W.

PFI/PPPs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for new facilities for the Newham NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the front entrance to Mayday Healthcare by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the ACAD Equipment for the North West London NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the reprovision of mental health for Oxleas NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

John Hutton: The business cases justifying the individual schemes gave the estimates of the net savings in present value terms (with all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values), compared with publicly funding the scheme, shown in the table.
	
		Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option
		
			 Trust PFI 000 Public 000 000 % difference 
		
		
			 Newham Healthcare NHS Trust(20) 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 2,495 2,564 69 2.7 
			 Oxleas Healthcare NHS Trust 227,325 234,848 7,523 3.2 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 5,385 5,483 98 1.8 
		
	
	(20) The project at Newham Healthcare NHS Trust has not yet received final approval and therefore no final assessment has been made of the comparative costs of the project.

Rehabilitation Beds

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics he collates on (a) the availability of specialist rehabilitation beds in NHS hospitals, (b) their occupancy and (c) the explanations for voids.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 April 2002
	Specialist rehabilitation beds are included in wards categorised as 'Other general and acute' and are not counted separately in the annual collection of KH03'Bed availability and occupancy'.
	Information on general rehabilitation beds was collected on the winter bed census. There were 7,269 open and staffed beds as at 29 November 2001. Occupancy was not included as part of this census.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts his Department has with consultants; what level of professional indemnity insurance is standard in contracts with small consultants; whether he can make exceptions to the level of professional indemnity insurance; and what recent discussions he has had with other Government Departments about the level of professional indemnity insurance.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The Department does not centrally hold a record of individual contracts.
	In the past the Department sought a professional indemnity of not less than 5 million, as the standard sum. Since risks vary between contracts, it is no longer deemed appropriate to resort to a single standard level of indemnity and current Department consultancy contracts include the following paragraphs as standard:
	17.2 The Contractor shall effect and maintain with a reputable insurance company a policy or policies of insurance providing an adequate level of cover in respect of all risks which may be incurred by the Contractor, arising out of the Contractor's performance of the Contract, in respect of death or personal injury, or loss of or damage to property. Such policies shall include cover in respect of any financial loss arising from any advice given or omitted to be given by the Contractor.
	17.5 The terms of any insurance or the amount of cover shall not relieve the Contractor of any liabilities under the Contract. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to determine the amount of insurance cover that will be adequate to enable the Contractor to satisfy any liability referred to in Condition 17.2.
	The Department has not specifically discussed the issue of professional indemnity in consultancy contracts with any other Department. In this and all matters pertaining to commercial contracts, the Department does give all due regard to best practice advice disseminated by the Office of Government Commerce.

Ambulance Services (South-east)

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost in the past five years of consultants fees incurred in relation to reviews of the configuration of ambulance services in Surrey, Kent and Sussex; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: No additional workforce costs were incurred as most of the work in connection with the review of ambulance services in the south-east has been carried out by existing civil servants at the Department and staff at health authorities and trusts. Management consultants have been employed but this was for the region wide review. For that reason costs specifically relating to Surrey, Kent and Sussex have not been recorded.

Looked-after Children

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were placed in (a) care, (b) foster care and (c) adopted in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Number of children looked after at 31 March 199731 March 2001 and the number of children adopted from care during the years ending 31 March 199731 March 2001 -- England
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Total number of children looked after at 31 March 51,200 53,300 55,500 58,100 58,900 
			 Of which:  
			 Number in foster placements 33,500 35,000 36,200 37,900 38,400 
			 Number of children adopted from care during the year ending 31 March 1,900 2,100 2,200 2,700 3,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	Children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short term placements.
	All figures in this table have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	Source:
	DH Annual Statistical returns (CLA Episode)

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the question of 6 March, ref. 41920, from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford on mixed sex wards at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

Jacqui Smith: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Parliamentary Questions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam regarding overseas nurse recruitment of 28 February.

John Hutton: I replied to the hon. Member on 16 April 2002, Official Report, columns 102425W.

Departmental Expenditure (Scotland)

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, in real terms, for each year since 1979 (a) the total sums of money spent directly by his Department in Scotland and (b) the total sums of money allocated by his Department for spending in Scotland through (i) the Scottish Office, (ii) the Scotland Office and (iii) the Scottish Executive.

John Hutton: Pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Milburn) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 275W, the information requested is not readily available. Public expenditure information by territory and function is available in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 200102 (Cm 5101) for the years 199596 to 19992000, and earlier years are available in previous PESA publications. Copies of these are available in the Library.

Audit Commission

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what appointments he has made to the Audit Commission in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: Three health commissioners have been appointed during the last five years:
	Roger HoyleJanuary 2002
	David MossApril 2001
	Dr. Judith CursonOctober 1998 (appointed second term June 2001).

Health Reforms

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what legislative changes will be required to implement the health reforms envisaged in his statement on 18 April.

John Hutton: The statement and publication on 18 April set out further policy reforms as part of the Government's continuing strategy of reform backed by investment to deliver the NHS Plan published in July 2000. Delivering the NHS Plan makes clear that new legislation will be needed to introduce a system of cross-charging in relation to delayed discharges (paragraph 8.10); to establish the new Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (paragraph 10.8); and to establish the new Commission for Social Care Inspection (paragraph 10.11). The details of the legislative changes required to implement these and the reform package as a whole are now being considered.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times Ministers in his Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 552W.

Press Office

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of running the Department's press office was in (a) 199697 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department's staffing cost information for Press and Publicity Division for 199697 does not separately identify the cost of press office. The total cost of Press and Publicity Division for 199697 was 2.3 million. The cost of the News Branch for 200001 was 1.2 million.

Ambulance Call-outs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many ambulance call-outs were made between 20 December 2001 and 3 January 2002 in Essex; what average length of time it took for ambulances to reach (a) the patient and (b) the hospital to which the patient needed to be taken; and what the average figure was in England;
	(2)  how many 999 calls were made to the Essex ambulance service between 20 December 2001 and 3 January for which it was decided an ambulance was not necessary; and what proportion of calls over this period such calls represent.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
	Information about ambulance response times is contained in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin 'Ambulance Services, England 200001'. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and available at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0115.htm.

Press Officers and Special Advisers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 106263W, on press officers, why he is not able to provide cost details for press officers in 199697; and if his figures for press officer numbers refer to full-time working equivalents.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department's staffing cost information for the Press and Publicity Division for 199697 does not separately identify the cost of press office or individual press officers. This level of detail has only been available since 199798. The total cost of the Press and Publicity Division for 199697 was 2.3 million.
	Press officer numbers refer to full-time working equivalents, except for 19992000 when two members of staff were part-time.

Press Officers and Special Advisers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) press officers and (b) special advisers were employed by his Department in each of the years 199091 to 199596.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Press officers  
			 199091 11 
			 199192 12 
			 199293 10 
			 199394 12 
			 199495 12 
			 199596 9 
			   
			 (b) Special advisers  
			 199091 2 
			 199192 2 
			 199293 2 
			 199394 1 
			 199495 1 
			 199596 1

Television

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of subscriptions to (a) digital terrestrial, (b) digital satellite and (c) digital cable television held by his Department for services in any departmental building from which Ministers work, stating for each subscription its (i) cost and (ii) purpose.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The Department is linked to the Annunciator system, provided by cable link to Richmond House, by the Central Office of Information. The cost of this system is 26,161 per annum, including value added tax. The purpose is to provide Ministers, Communications and Policy staff in Richmond House access to debates in the Houses of Commons and Lords, and Select Committee hearings.

NHS Trusts (Police Officers)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital trusts have specially assigned police officers.

John Hutton: Security arrangements at hospitals are a matter for the individual hospital trust to address. Many hospitals employ specially trained in-house staff for security services; others use external security companies.
	Strong working relationships between the police and the national health service are essential if staff, patients and visitors are to be able to work and receive care in the best environment. While we do not hold details of every trust's arrangements centrally, we are aware that many trusts have made a dedicated room available within the accident and emergency department of the hospital for police use. Some trusts have a police station situated within the hospital grounds. All hospitals have developed close links with the local police force and hold security liaison meetings which include a police representative on the group. We are also aware that the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust has an arrangement with the local police to fund a full-time police presence in the hospital with porters providing routine security services. South Devon Healthcare Trust and Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust have similar arrangements in place. We understand that a number of other trusts are considering adopting comparable approaches.
	All trusts have arrangements with their local police authority to provide specially assigned police officers in the event of a major incident involving firearms, or in a hostage situation.

Non-clinical Data

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the quality of non-clinical data.

Hazel Blears: National health service organisations collect a wide range of data that are used locally within and between health care organisations to support a variety of purposes. Local arrangements therefore exist within health communities to performance manage the quality of data collected that reflect local circumstances.
	All NHS organisations are responsible for the quality of their own data. A fundamental principle of data quality is that data should be right first time, at the point at which they are recorded. In relation to hospital data, this principle was supported by the recent Audit Commission report, Data Remember, which stated that
	the key to better quality of information is held by Trusts themselves.
	All NHS trusts are expected to have a named senior manager responsible for data quality within their organisations by 30 June 2002. All chief executives will shortly be reminded of their responsibilities for ensuring that their organisation produces good quality data.
	While the ultimate responsibility for data quality lies with NHS organisations themselves, there are a number of national initiatives which aim to support them in improving the quality of their non-clinical data. These include national performance monitoring of data quality, providing support and guidance material on improving and managing data quality, accreditation and audit of data quality and through the implementation of national information strategies.

Maintenance Backlog

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current maintenance backlog of the NHS is.

John Hutton: The most recent available information for the total maintenance backlog cost, inclusive of physical condition, fire safety and health and safety, associated with NHS trusts in England is at 200001. This currently indicates the total maintenance backlog cost to be 3.16 billion.

Toothbrushes

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which company supplied the toothbrushes handed out as part of the Brushing for Life campaign.

Hazel Blears: As part of the Brushing for Life scheme, packs were distributed containing a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and a leaflet. The toothbrushes in the packs were supplied by GlaxoSmithKline plc.

Ambulance Turnaround Times

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 940W, on ambulance turnaround times, if he will state the turnaround times for ambulance crews at each hospital in the Greater London area with an AE department.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Critical and Intensive Care Beds

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) adult critical care and (b) intensive care beds there were in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: The total number of critical care beds and those being used for intensive care purposes on the census day is given in the following table. The first census was carried out in March 1999 and data are not available previous to this date.
	
		Number of critical care beds on census day
		
			 Census date Total critical care beds of which intensive care 
		
		
			 31 March 1999 2,240 1,520 
			 30 September 1999 2,241 1,501 
			 15 January 2000 2,362 1,555 
			 14 July 2000 2,343 1,496 
			 15 January 2001 2,885 1,677 
			 16 July 2001 2,940 1,670 
			 15 January 2002 3,030 1,711 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03a

TV and Telephone Services

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the applicants for the contract to provide television and telephone services to NHS patients.

Hazel Blears: The list shows those companies that submitted tender documentation to request a licence to provide bedhead entertainment and telephone services to the NHS.
	First round (3 August 2000) tender applications received from:
	Hospital Telephone Services
	Patientline
	Wandsworth Electrical
	Sodexho
	Static Systems
	Unicorn Hospital Communications Ltd.
	BT Health
	Compaq Computers
	ITR Telecom
	Syntec Telecom
	Second Round (23 February 2001) tender applications received from:
	Philips Business Communications
	Kerfone Communications Limited
	BT Health
	Premier Managed Payphones
	Patientpal (MIM Meditech Hospital Systems).

Emergency Re-admissions

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the levels of emergency re-admissions were in each health authority for the third quarter of 200102.

Jacqui Smith: Quarterly information on re-admissions is only collected for patients aged 75 and over. This information by health authority, has been placed in the Library.

Correspondence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to provide a substantive reply to the letter of 2 August 2001 from the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire.

Hazel Blears: The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit is seeking a copy of this correspondence.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of (a) 21 January, (b) 21 February, (c) 19 March and (d) 18 April relating to her constituent, Mr. R. Merkitt of Wormley.

John Hutton: A reply was sent on 23 April.

Essex Heart Centre

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received over the proposal to establish the Essex Heart Centre at Basildon instead of Broomfield, Chelmsford; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Essex Health Authority is about to start the public consultation exercise on this proposal. All relevant and interested parties will have the opportunity to make their concerns known during this period and as such it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further at this stage.

GP Vacancies

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP vacancies there were in Bedfordshire (a) in each of the last three years and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The Department first carried out a survey into general practitioners recruitment, retention and vacancies in 2000.
	In the 2000 survey Bedfordshire health authority reported that they had 25 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12 month period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000.
	In the 2001 survey they reported that they had 20 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12 month period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.
	Results from the 2002 survey should be available later in the year. We have no data prior to 2000.

Medicines Control Agency

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times officials from the Medicines Control Agency have held meetings with officials of the United States Food and Drug Administration since 1 April 2001; when and where each of these meetings took place; and what the subject was of each of these meetings.

Hazel Blears: There have been 21 meetings between officials of the Medicines Control Agency and officials of the United States Food and Drug Administration since 1 April 2001. The details of the meetings are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Date Venue Topic 
		
		
			 21 to 22 May 2001 4 to 6 February 2002 TokyoBrusselsPossible pharmacovigilance topics for the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) process 
			 April 2001June 2001  
			 July 2001Videoconference/teleconference held betweenTo discuss current safety issues with the FDA and other  
			 September 2001London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ)EU member-states 
			 November 2001 
			 January 2002 
			 March 2002 
			 27 August 200128 August 2001FDA, Rockville Pike FDA use of General Practice Research Database (GPRD) 
			 22 to 24 May 2001 International Laboratory Forum of Counterfeit Medicines (ILFCM), Washington, USA Collaboration and knowledge sharing of illegal and counterfeit medicines 
			 22 to 24 May 2001 Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC), Washington, USA Pharmaceutical crime including counterfeits and fraudulent diversion 
			 8 June 2001 Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) Equivalence between UK and USA systems for assessing compliance by inspection 
			 28 July to 23 August 2001 FDA, Cincinnati, USA Series of meetings on collaborative procedures for the analysis of illegal steroid creams 
			 17 September 2001 Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) Proposed Mutual Recognition Agreement on Inspection 
			 29 October to 1 November 2001 International Laboratory Forum of Counterfeit Medicines (ILFCM), Canberra, Australia Collaboration and knowledge sharing of illegal and counterfeit medicines 
			 15 to 16 November 2001 London FDA observation of MCA medicines inspection 
			 26 to 30 November 2001 London, Hitchin and York FDA observation of MCA inspectorate quality system 
			 12 December 2001 Videoconference held between London and Rockville Pike (FDA HQ) General progress on the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) 
			 March 2002 Houston, USA Criminal investigations on the supply of prescription-only medicines and an unlicensed product

New Deal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseeker's allowance or other benefits.

John Hutton: This information is not available. Neither the Department nor the individual non-departmental public bodies concerned monitor people who have left those organisations.

Mental Health

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in provision since 1997, there has been of (a) acute beds, (b) residential places staffed 24 hours a day and (c) low support residential places in mental health in London.

John Hutton: The change in provision since 1997 for acute beds, residential places staffed 24 hours a day and low support residential places in London is given in the table.
	
		Average daily number of available beds, acute sector, total residential care beds, mental illness residential care beds for the London regional office area, 200001 to 199697
		
			  200001 19992000 199899 199798 199697 
		
		
			 Acute beds 16,736 16,419 17,022 17,090 17,663 
			 Acute mental illness beds 4,8844,544 
			 Total residential care beds (includes mental illness) 683 691 1,256 1,234 1,117 
			 Mental illness residential care beds 299 317 309 280 257 
		
	
	Source:
	KH03Bed availability and occupancy
	
		Residential care places in London area not managed by the NHS, 1997 to 2001
		
			  Number of residential care places 
		
		
			 1997 30,062 
			 1998 30,201 
			 1999 29,525 
			 2000 30,140 
			 2001 29,342

Thiomersal

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the replacement of thiomersal as a preservative in vaccines.

Hazel Blears: The European Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) has developed regulatory guidance entitled Points to Consider on the Reduction, Elimination or Substitution of Thiomersal in Vaccines. This regulatory guidance has come into operation since May 2001. It sets out recommendations and strategy for reducing, eliminating and substituting thiomersal as a preservative in vaccines. As indicated in this regulatory guidance, in an initial stage, a manufacturer may choose to reduce the amount of thiomersal while developing a thiomersal-free formulation with or without a substitute preservative. Since reducing or eliminating thiomersal could have an impact on microbiological quality, antigenicity, immunogenicity, reactogenicity and stability of vaccines, substantial developmental and validation work is necessary before such modifications can be implemented.

Better Quality Services Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed.

Hazel Blears: Between September 1999 and February 2001, the Department had largely undertaken Better Quality Services reviews of its support services and the functions and activities of its agencies. The Department was working with Cabinet Office to develop a rigorous approach for the review of policy.
	Since March 2001 specific Better Quality Services activity has been incorporated into a fundamental review of the Department's services and activities, including policy areas. This fundamental review was carried out in the spirit of the Better Quality Services Initiative in line with Government policy. It has generated a programme of change that focuses on the Department's delivery contract and which aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Ministerial Private Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 924W, on the running costs of his Ministers' private offices, for what reason those costs rose between 199798 and 200101.

Hazel Blears: Costs of Ministers' private offices have risen since 199798 in part because an additional Minister was appointed in 19992000. The level of support provided to Ministers has also been improved over the period.

Complaints

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to promote wider use of conciliation in handling complaints against the NHS.

Hazel Blears: Conciliation is a positive mechanism for resolving complaints at an early stage. The NHS complaints procedure evaluation report recommended that wider use of conciliation should be encouraged and we are currently considering how best to achieve this as part of our broader reforms to the NHS complaints procedure.

Complaints

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints were registered against his Department and its predecessor Departments in (a) 1990 to 1996 and (b) 1997 to 2002; how many are current; and what proportion were (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in those periods.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 22 April 2002
	The information relating to complaints registered against the Department can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information on complaints made to the Parliamentary Ombudsman is contained in the Ombudsman's annual reports, copies of which are held in the Library, and from 199798 on the Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/document/part01/index.

Hospital Waiting Times

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest figures are for the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area for the (a) number of people waiting for hospital treatment and (b) number of people waiting less than (i) 18, (ii) 15, (iii) 12 and (iv) six months for hospital treatment.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Patients waiting for elective admission, Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, February 2002. Ordinary and day case admissions combined
		
			  By month waiting 
		
		
			 Total waiting 9,646 
			 Less than 6 months 7,126 
			 Less than 12 months 9,360 
			 Less than 15 months 9,641 
			 Less than 18 months 9,646 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Monthly Monitoring

Pathology Services

David Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated total NHS expenditure was on pathology services in 200001; how many pathology services there are in England; how many public health laboratory services there are; and what estimate he has made of the number of private sector pathology laboratories.

John Hutton: holding answer 16 April 2002
	Information on pathology expenditure is not collected centrally; funding for pathology is included in the general allocation to the National Health Service.
	The Department does not hold a central register of pathology laboratories. However, we estimate that there are around 300 NHS Pathology services in England based in acute Trusts. These include up to 1700 separate laboratories providing diagnostic services for haematology, microbiology, biochemistry, histopathology/ cytopathology, immunology and genetics. We also estimate that there are approximately 250 pathology laboratories in the independent sector.
	The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) comprises 46 laboratories in eight regional groups, the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) (incorporating seven reference laboratories and a scientific support services unit), and the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC), both at Colindale, North West London. In addition, there are five PHLS collaborating centres serving the London population, and two other special laboratories.

Smart Card Technology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 April 2002
	The NHS Plan published in July 2000 refers to the possible introduction of smart cards to meet two key business requirements, i.e., to enable patients and healthcare professionals to access medical records, and to store a limited amount of emergency medical data. A number of studies have been conducted within the Department which looked at different options, including smart cards, and biometrics, to meet these business requirements. Our current view is that there are many issues that need to be resolved before decisions can be made about implementing a large-scale scheme involving smart card technology. These include the question of security and confidentiality. There are also technical, legal, cultural, funding and other issues which need to be addressed. The government's approach, therefore, is to test these concepts in pilot projects before considering further a wider use of patient-held smart cards.
	The Department is currently funding a programme of pilot projects over a three year period to introduce occupational health smart cards for hospital doctors, initially doctors in training, in England. The company running the projects is TSSI (Thorn Secure Science Ltd.). This is not a patient-held smart card scheme, but we hope to learn lessons about the technology and other issues from this pilot programme.
	Ministers and officials at the Department have both formal and informal discussions with private companies on a range of issues, including the possible use of smart card technology in healthcare. The Department is also represented on the Office of the e-Envoy's Smart Card Policy Working Group which includes private companies and other interest groups in its membership.

NHS Finance

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the ring-fenced allocations and special purpose grants made by him in financial years (a) 200001, (b) 200102 and (c) 200203, together with the amount of each allocation; what arrangements are in place to ensure that allocations are spent for the purpose intended; whether unspent resources are clawed back; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 16 April 2002
	Table 1 lists the ring-fenced allocations and grants which the Department made available to councils in 200001, 200102 and 200203. Audit arrangements are in place to check that allocations are used for the purpose intended. Unspent grant in excess of any end year flexibility allowed by the grant conditions is clawed back unless Ministers decide to waive recovery in accordance with the grant conditions. Unused supplementary credit approvals (SCAs) lapse unless they are surrendered by councils. SCAs cannot be clawed back by the Department.
	Table 2 shows the ring-fenced allocation which is made to health authorities. There are local monitoring arrangements in place to ensure allocations are spent in full. Expenditure is separately identified within the annual accounts.
	
		Table 1: Grant -- 000
		
			  200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 AIDS Support Grant 16,000 16,500 16,500 
			 Drugs and Alcohol Specific Grant 6,800 8,850  
			 Mental Health Grant 129,500 148,443 154,443 
			 Training Support Programme 42,500 47,500 57,500 
			 Children's Services Grant 120,000 291,750 461,500 
			 Secure Accommodation Grant 6,228 6,228 6,228 
			 Partnership Grant(21) 216,000   
			 Prevention Grant(21) 30,000   
			 Promoting Independence Grant(21)  296,000 155,000 
			 Carers' Grant 50,000 70,000 85,000 
			 Care Direct Grant 500 2,000 10,000 
			 Deferred Payments Scheme  15,000 30,000 
			 Improving Information Management Grant  3,000 25,000 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse Planning Grant  4,500 4,500 
			 Building Care Capacity Grant  100,000 200,000 
			 Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation Grant   16,000 
			 Performance Fund   50,000 
			 Residential Allowance Grant   93,000 
			 Preserved Rights Grant   614,000 
			 Invest to Save Grant 4,254 1,330  
			 Supplementary credit approvals: Mental Health 15,600 15,600 15,600 
			 Supplementary credit approvals: AIDS 3,100 3,100 3,100 
		
	
	(21) The Partnership and Prevention Grants merged in 200102 to become the Promoting Independence Grant
	
		Table 2: Allocation -- 000
		
			  Out of hours development fund 
		
		
			 200001 43,420 
			 200102 44,506 
			 200203 45,617

Alcohol

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the development of a national alcohol strategy.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 17 April 2002
	The NHS Plan stated that the Government would be implementing the National Strategy to Tackle Alcohol Misuse by 2004 and we are currently on course to achieve this target.